Everything Will Change
by sharky-clarky
Summary: Clary Morgenstern is a sixteen year old girl living happily in England. But what will happen when her parents are in an accident, killing one and leaving the other in a coma. How will Clary survive being shipped off to a family she'd never met in New York with no friends, no family, and no idea on how to fit in. All Human.
1. Chapter 1

"So" Clary said, glancing over her shoulder slightly to look at the man next to her driving the pickup truck that was casually cruising down the motorway. "Tell me again why I can't stay with you?" she asked, almost pleadingly, using her large green eyes to the best of her advantage.

Luke laughed, his eye's staring straight ahead through the lenses of his glasses, never looking off of the road.

"Clary, we've been over this" he said calmly, keeping the smile from his face as Clary pouted at him. "I'm not stable enough to be your legal guardian" Clary stared out of the open window, watching the scenery change from the city, to the suburbs, to the fields that rolled on for miles. The cold wind was slapping delicately against her face, the few crimson ringlets managed to escape her messy bun, whipping around her face.

"I don't think you're dangerous" she said, her arms crossed over her chest, her feet wrapped in converse resting against the dash board. "The courts are wrong, you'd never hurt me" he chanced a look at her, his blue eyes meeting hers, a silent pleading passing through them. She huffed and went back to looking out of the window.

Despite her mother's listing of Luke as an emergency contact, the courts refused to listen. The 'issues', so they said, with Luke's anger was too much of a risk for Clary to live with him. Clary's parents were in a car crash nearly six months back, her father, Valentine, was killed instantly, her mother wasn't so lucky. Jocelyn was currently trapped in her own mind, lost in the dark as she succumbed to the brain damage and fell into a coma.

Since that moment, Clary had lived with Luke, her older brother being off at University in California, but the courts said it was only temporary, that Luke was too prone to lash out, his emotions weren't in check. Anyone who knew Luke knew his past; he was just that kind of person.

You met him, you spoke, and you learned his life story. His mother walked out when he was young, he was raised by his sister, Amatis, but she kicked him out. The only part of the story still secreted was the reason behind his sister's actions. Some say she just wanted the house, others say Luke was too much of a burden.

"You know I'm only going to America to help Maia out, then I'm coming straight back." He said, like it was a good enough excuse. Maia was Luke's niece, a dark skinned girl that Clary hadn't seen since she was about five years old; Maia must be closer to seventeen now though, she always was older than Clary was Who's recently turned sixteen. it was common knowledge that Maia was a bit of a trouble maker now. Her parents had kicked her out when she was fifteen to go and live with her boyfriend, Jordan. Then very same boyfriend that had just been killed by a random man with a gun not long ago, so Luke was going to care for her now her 'guardian' was gone and her parents wouldn't take her back.

"Well, why can't I live with you and Maia, here" she said pleadingly. Clary had moved to England just over ten years ago with her parents and her brother, Jonathon, after spending her first five years living in New York.

"Because you can't, Clary" Luke said, coming from anyone else you'd think he was snapping at her, scolding her even, but his voice was sad and Clary noticed this "I know it isn't what you want to hear, and I'm sorry, but you can't." she sighed, a far gone look passing over her face as she watched the rolling hills turn to tree's and then to small villages, back to hills once again. It was getting late now, the sun dipping down below the hills, lighting the sky with pinks and oranges. "How did Simon take it?" he asked, trying to take the subject off of her not being able to live with him.

She gave him a look, clearly saying 'how'd you think?' and he nodded in response.

"I expected as much" he said, his eyes staring once again to the road. "If it makes you feel better, me and your mother knew the Lightwood's, they're good people" he said with a sad, pleading smile.

"But bad things happen to good people" she said coldly, looking out of the window, the wintery whip nipping at her cheeks, her mind somewhere else, her eyes not meeting his as she spoke. The rest of the journey was spent in silence, neither one of the trucks occupants wanting to make the silence anymore awkward than it already was.

It was dark by the time Luke parked his blue truck in the airport car park, locking the doors before turning to Clary. Her hair shined orange in the dim street lamps lighting the car park, her dark jeans were ripped and frayed at the knees, one of her father's baggy blue shirts over the top of a white vest.

An old habit Clary picked up as a child was wearing her fathers shirt when she was frightened, or sad, a habit she still hadn't grown out of. Maybe it was the feeling of being wrapped up in something bigger than her, like the feeling of someone's touch, maybe she just needed to smell her father, to remember what his scent was and how it comforted her still.

After his death, Clary was only able to keep one of her father's shirts, a shirt that no longer held his scent, but she still wore it. Luke had seen her several times, staring at the photo in her purse as she sat curled on the window seat of Luke's London Flat, her fathers shirt wrapped around her like a blanket.

"Are you ready?" he asked her earnestly, reaching down and picking up his duffel bag, throwing it over one shoulder, and picking up one of Clary's few suitcases in the other. She nodded slowly, reaching and grabbing the remaining two suitcases. For a girl, Clary travelled light. Despite the fact she was moving to a new home she only had three bags, one for clothes, one for all her art and school supplies, and one for anything else she felt like taking with her, books and photographs mostly.

"I'm ready" she said, smiling up at Luke through the haze of street light. Luke nodded and the two of them began walking towards the entrance, ready to each embrace a new life. Clary with the Lightwood's, her new family, and Luke with Maia, his niece he'd not seen for nearly ten years.

* * *

It was nearly six o'clock in New York, Two and a half hours before any of the Lightwoods should be at school. This meant that Isabelle had been up for the last half an hour trying to prepare her outfit for the day. Maryse was sure to be up and it was likely Robert had already left for work, which would be of course mean he actually came home for once. How could he not be here for today? Today was after all the day the Lightwoods were having the day off school to welcome their newest member.

An hour later, Isabelle was downstairs, her long, inky black hair swishing around her shoulders, a blue dress falling to her mid thigh with a black belt around her waist. Around her neck hung a ruby necklace, passed down from generations to finally rest at her throat.

"Is your brother up?" Isabelle's mother asked, simultaneously putting bread in the toaster and clipping in a pair of pearl earrings. To say the Lightwood's were a well off family was an understatement. Both Robert and Maryse worked long hours at very successful companies, meaning they lived a moderately lavish lifestyle. They weren't billionaires, but they were rich enough to own a large house, large enough to be classified as a hotel, and still have money to spare.

Isabelle was the spitting image of her mother, tall, slim, long legs and inky black hair that fell perfectly straight. If it wasn't for the miniscule crinkling by Maryse's eyes and the maternally wise glint to her blue eyes you could pass them off as sisters. The only real difference, despite their age, was that where Maryse, like the other members of the Lightwood family had light blue eyes, Isabelle's were a dark – almost black- brown. Just one other thing to make her different.

"Which one?" Isabelle asked, raising a perfectly shaped eyebrow at her mother who gave her a very maternal, very agitated glare back. "Fine" Isabelle grumbled, sliding off the stool by the kitchen island and making her way to the stairs, taking them two at a time. Impressive of course due to the seven inch heeled boots she wore on her feet.

She ran to the bedroom door across from her own first. It was plain white wood, still in pristine condition. Alec's room.

"Wake up!" she shrieked, flinging the door open wide before prancing to the window, flicking the blinds to bathe her very annoyed brother in the bright sunlight of the early winter. The room was so orderly and clean, everything had a place and everything was in it's place, it was shocking that he and Isabelle could possibly be related. Alec grumbled something incomprehensible, stuffing his head beneath his pillow. It sounded something along the lines of 'ducking witch' but Isabelle shrugged it off with a laugh before dancing toward the next bedroom, her heels soundless on the rich carpeted floor.

The next door was Max's, her nine year old brothers. The white wood was plastered in pictures from his anime books, the letter's M-A-X scrawled across the wood in messy, uneven, bubble writing. When she opened his door she saw the sight she had expected.

Max was sat up in his bed, his overly large glasses perched on his nose as he flicked his way through his newest manga book. His hair was as black as hers was, sticking out every which way like nine year olds should. He was still wearing his red and white pyjamas beneath his quilt but Isabelle jumped and sat next to him anyway, throwing her long slim arms around his weedy frame.

"Izzy!" he squealed, his voice still higher than an average boys as he tried to squirm from under her arms, giggling like the little boy he was the whole time.

"You excited?" she asked, poking his stomach once they had both calmed down.

"Yeah!" he shouted, re-adjusting his glasses to sit back on his nose. The glasses themselves were too big for his small face, the thick lenses making his blue-grey eyes look ever larger. "Do you know when she's getting here?" he asked, his eyes growing wider in anticipation.

"Just as soon as you get dressed" Isabelle smiled, pinching her brother's nose making him giggle again. She leapt from the bed then, darting out of the room, shutting the anime poster covered door behind her.

She bounded to the room opposite Max's, stopping for a moment to look at the name scrawled across the white door. Jace's room. She threw the door open again, but decided immediately against bounding across the floor, purely due to the fact the hole room was a bomb site.

Drawers were hanging open, some clothing spilling out of them. The blinds were shut, the only light in the room spilling from the open doorway. The floor was a sprawl of clothing, bottles, books and CD's, a minefield of redundant crap. The double bed was pushed over to the corner, the cover's a tangled mess, wrapping like vipers around two, strong, tanned legs.

Jace was face down, the way he always slept, his golden hair a scruffy mess as he lay against the pillow. He was, of course, still asleep. Not wanting to risk herself across the death-trap that was Jace's floor, she picked up the closest thing by her feet, and threw it. Lucky for Jace, this item was a pillow left abandoned by the door.

Jace sat bolt upright, his golden eyes wide and confused. He looked from the still blind covered window, to the walls littered in random posters of bands he didn't even like, his gaze finally landing on a rather chuffed looking Isabelle in the doorway.

"Mum says wake up" she said with a smirk, looking pointedly at her freshly painted red nails. Jace grumbled a response that Isabelle knew she'd rather go without hearing. Jace said mean things sometimes, he wasn't always a pleasant person, if fact he was hardly ever pleasant, but then again, none of the Lightwood children were. That was likely to be the reason they all loved and protected each other to fervently. The three of them sat together at school, usually with Alec's eccentric boyfriend, Magnus, and didn't tend to speak to others. Isabelle and Jace were exceptions of course, they would widen their circle when they were looking for someone else to spend a night with, but that never lasted more than a few days, maybe a week at the max.

"Do I have to?" he moaned, laying his head back against the pillow with a crash. He rubbed his hands against his face as Isabelle reached for something else to throw at him. "Don't answer that" he said, holding a hand up and effectively stopping Isabelle before she let the book fly.

"Well she's going to be here soon, so hurry up" Isabelle said before disappearing back down the hallway to the kitchen, hoping to retrieve her unfinished breakfast before someone else descended on it, the way her brothers usually did.

Breakfast that morning was a surprisingly dull affair. Isabelle had finished hers before Max had even made it to the table.

"When's she getting here then?" Alec said as he swooped up a piece of toast, ruffling Max's scruffy hair with his free hand. "And what was her name again?" he asked innocently, trying to avoid his mother deathly gaze as she stared astounded at him for forgetting already.

It had been two months since Maryse had considered adopting Clarissa, and not a day had gone by she hadn't been talking about her like she was a long lost friend. The fact Alec had forgotten her name already was bound to earn him a slap. A theoretical slap, but a slap all the same.

"Clarissa" Max piped up, a mouth full of cereal as he looked at his older brother. "And she's getting – when is she getting here?" he asked, his eyes back to the childish innocence the made your heart melt. Isabelle would never stop seeing him as her baby brother, not until the day she died.

"Her flight left Heathrow at about four o'clock yesterday. So she arrived in America at midnight" Maryse said, and you could see how carefully she had thought it through. That was something about Maryse, she was so organised, not a thing could go unthought-of, every scenario had to be planned and accounted for. "She's staying at a hotel for the night so she could rest after her flight and should be here at around nine o'clock" she finally said with a bright, excited smile.

"That's an hour and half?" Max said, more a question than a statement, his big eyes failing to hide his excitement at meeting the new, soon to be, resident.

"Yes it is" Maryse said, dropping a kiss on Max's head before scurrying round the kitchen. They all laughed as Max tried frantically to flatten his hair, and it was that moment a grumpy looking Jace tumbled into the nearest stool and rested his head in his hands.

"Was somebody out last night" Isabelle said, wiggling her finger towards Jace who swatted it away half heartedly.

"Shut up, Iz" he grumbled back. "I didn't get a lot of sleep last night" he sighed, a lot softer than before. Maryse's eyes softened slightly. Jace was a Lightwood in all ways but blood, his actual parents having died when he was ten meant that Jace spent most of his life with the Lightwoods. It was no secret either that the first ten years of Jace's life weren't easy, but that wasn't something this family spoke about.

"So how long until she gets here?" Jace mumbled into his hands, Max of course was the one to reply, only making Jace grumble more. "Do I require prettying up" he said with half a smirk and the others laughed.

"It takes more then an hour and a half too fix that face" Alec sniggered at the comment just as a very loud, very glittery boy entered the room. "Maryse, darling" he said, kissing Maryse's hand.

"Magnus!" she shrieked happily, batting him away in a friendly manner, laughing at him still.

"So, the new girl get's here soon, I look forward to it" he said, planting a kiss on Alec's cheek. They all laughed for a moment, exchanging their greetings with Magnus, welcoming him into what was more or less his second home.

"Jace, please go smarten yourself up" he grumbled again before half standing, half stumbling and making his way up the stairs. "An hour and a half, you all ready" she said with a smile, one all of her children and Magnus greatly returned, but Maryse was still a bundle of nerves as she walked to re-make Clarissa's room for the third time that morning.

* * *

"So how far away is this new home?" Clary asked solemnly. She'd woken up later than intended, her mind confused due to the five hour time difference between New York and London. She and Luke had – on Mr and Mrs Lightwood's advice - spent the night at a hotel in the city to allow Clary time to adjust to the change. Clary, however, did not see that happening any time soon.

It was around eight o'clock when she had woken up in her single room in the reasonably pricey hotel room - thanks to the Lightwood's - listening to Luke's snores from the next room. Knowing she had two hours to get ready and make her way too her new home, she'd leapt in the shower, bombarding her small body with hot water until her skin felt raw and scolded.

Clary was a petite girl, much smaller than any other fifteen year old girl. Barely scraping five foot two with a massive bush of red hair, she had been subject to a few tugs of bullying throughout her primary school life. That however ended once everyone grew up and she began to fill out in the right places. It was then Clary could finally spend time with her best friend, Simon, without hearing someone shouting 'carrot-top' at her.

Not only was she small, she was also skinny, making her look a lot younger than she was with bright green eyes just that bit too big for a face and a dusting of freckles across her nose. Despite this she was still a beautiful girl, the kind of girl boy's wouldn't noticed immediately, but once they did see her, the couldn't stop. She wasn't an unpopular girl, far from it. Although she preferred the company at lunchtime with Simon alone, she knew she could always sit at any table in the dinning hall without word of complaint from any other student. She was the girl everyone liked.

By the time she'd left the bathroom, fruity smelling steam following her as she desperately tried to towel dry her knotted ringlets, Luke was pouring coffee into a mug for her. That was about an hour ago, now all the coffee was drunk and both of them were ready to go.

"It's not too far out of the city" Luke replied, his face a mask of thought as he tried to remember the directions he'd written out and then Clary had spilt cereal over, making the ink run down the page like dark blue tears. "Shouldn't take more than half an hour to get there, give or take" Clary nodded in response, letting an awkward silence fall over the pair of them.

"Do I still get to see mum?" she asked sadly, her eyes looking at the floor as she thought of her mother, trapped in her own mind, no one else aware if she was going to wake up or not. Luke sighed, rubbing his hand over his stubbly face.

"Jon said he'd take you whenever he went, but I can't say how often that'll be" he said and Clary responded again with a nod. Looking down at his watch, Luke scoffed, dropping the complimentary biscuit he'd been about to munch onto the scruffy bed sheets. "Clary, we've got to go" he said standing quickly to retrieve his boots and throwing his flannel jacket over his checked shirt. "We've got forty minute to get to the Lightwood's, granted the traffics on our side. You grab your stuff, I'll bring the car around" and before Clary could even respond, he was out of the door, shouting at some poor New Yorker to hold the lift.

"Time to go" Clary said to herself, attempting to tame her ringlets into a bun before shrugging on her dark green jacket, wrapping her home-knitted blue scarf – a gift from her mother – around her neck. Slipping on her shoes, and grabbing her bag, she gave one last look at the hotel room, the first place she would remember about New York, before shutting the door and following after Luke.

* * *

"Is she here yet?" Jace heard Maryse shout from the floor above. He was currently sat in the most comfortable position he could manage in his tired, agitated state. Of course, being a teenager, Jace drank, but the hangover's he endured after a night out was nothing compared to the excruciating pain he had to endure after not enough sleep. He couldn't understand how not sleeping affected him this way, Isabelle barely slept; being too busy on the phone to Aline or sleeping with whatever guy she had trailing after her this time.

"No" Isabelle shouted up the stairs before she planted herself none too gently on the sofa Jace occupied. "You could at least pretend to be excited" She said, nudging his shoulder with hers.

"I am excited, this is my excited face, enjoy it, you wont see it again" he grumbled, his eyes shut as Isabelle smirked at him.

"I'd hate to see what you look like when you're mad" she said, poking his cheek. He swatted her hand away half heartedly, his eyes still shut.

"I probably still look radiant" he said cockily, smirking with his eyes shut.

"If only you were this cocky around other people" Isabelle replied faux sadly. Jace cracked his eyes open slightly, giving her a pointed glare. Just as he opened his mouth to speak, they heard the unmistakable sound of rubber scratching with the stone chippings of the Lightwood's driveway.

Isabelle bounded from the sofa, flying over to the window in a flurry of blue skirts and black hair, an expectant smile on her face.

"She's here!" she shouted, so loud Jace was surprised the poor girl in the driveway didn't hear her. There was a clinking of heels on marble, then the thuds of feet on stairs, and before Jace knew what was going on, he had been wrenched to his feet by Alec and was now standing on the front porch, watching with the rest of the Lightwood's (Robert excluded due to being at work) as the girl climbed her out of the battered dark blue, rented car.


	2. Chapter 2

**So this is chapter 2. I've got a lot of the story pre-written, so updates shouldn't be a problem.**

**Please review and let me know what you think.**

**Also check out my other mortal instruments fanfics (Red and Gold, If I Die Young, A Night To Remember, Pretty Far From Brooklyn and Five In the Shadows)**

* * *

The first thing Clary thought of as Luke drove up the Driveway of Lightwood Manor was that is was, well, a manor. The house was enormous, so much larger than the London home she shared with her family, and far larger than the cramp two-bedroom flat she had been living in with Luke for the past six months.

The house itself was huge, half red brick, half white panelled wood. The windows were all taller than she was and sat in pristine white wooden frames, each one decorated with a beautifully arranged flower box. The lawn was trimmed to perfection, not a stray blade or a daisy in sight. Small rose bushes lined the drive way and the patio outside of the house, each one ranging in colour from red to white to yellow to pink. Wide decked steps leg up to the roomy porch, two benches sat on either side of the white front door.

The next thing that hit Clary's mind were the people who were welcoming her with bright, smiling faces – some of them at least. There was a woman, she couldn't have been older than thirty-five, with black hair tied in a sophisticated bun, warm blue eyes hidden behind strict looking makeup to match her black pencil skirt, low heels and white blouse. That, however, was the only strict looking thing about her. Her smile was warm, emitting a maternal heat that tried desperately to wrap Clary in its clutches.

Next to the woman was a girl, a girl who looked exactly like her, but younger. The daughter, Clary presumed had long, inky black hair to her waist and was as tall as she was slender, curving in all the places that counted. Despite the cold, she wore a floating light blue dress to her mid thigh, high heeled boots on her feet that looked lethal and a large red pendant around her throat. It struck Clary that the only difference between the two girls were their eyes. Where the mothers were crystal blue, the girls were so dark they almost looked black. Just like Jonathon's were.

The other occupants were three boys. Two of which, much older than her, stood behind the mother, one with a welcoming smile, the other looked bored and half asleep. The taller of the boys had dark hair and blue eyes, just like his mother, but the other boy, he was, gold. Everything about him was, from his mussed hair, to his tired eyes, even his smooth skin. His face was angular and beautiful, the kind that made Clary's fingers itch for her sketchbook, but she resisted.

The final boy was young, a lot younger than her, with a scruffy mass of black hair and large blue-grey eyes, that gazed up at her adorningly, their size accentuated by the thick glasses he wore balanced on his nose. She noticed, with a pang of grief, that he looked like Simon did when he was younger. All knees and elbows, long gangly limbs and glasses too big for his face.

"Clarissa" the older woman said, descending the steps and holding her arms out wide, not as if she was asking for a hug, more in a welcome to our home, kind of way. "You look so much like your mother" she said kindly as she lowered her arms to her sides.

"Thank you" Clary mumbled shyly, feeling unbelievably out of place at this beautiful house with this beautiful family. "But call me Clary, please, everyone else does" she said with a smile, wincing slightly at her own British accent.

"Well then, Clary" she said with another warm smile that made Clary long for the warm arms of her own mother "My name is Maryse, I'd like you to meet Isabelle, my daughter" she said gesturing to the beautiful girl who half flew down the steps, her dress floating around her long legs as she went. When she reached Clary she wrapped her in a hug, not seeming to notice the surprised squeak Clary involuntarily made.

"This is going to be great" Isabelle squealed excitedly "Call me Izzy by the way" she said before bounding over to her mother.

"My eldest son, Alec" and the tall boy with the dark hair was in front of her almost instantly, holding a hand out towards her with a smile.

"I've heard a lot about you, Clary" he said, shaking her hand strongly.

"You have?" she replied cautiously, her mind reeling about all the things he could possibly know. Did he know about the time she was taken to hospital after being dared by Simon to eat glue when she was seven? That sounded like something you'd put on an adoption form.

"Well, mums been going on non-stop about you" he said, and walked to stand by his mother and sister.

"This is my youngest, Max" she said and the gangly little boy slowly walked towards her, clutching a book that Clary couldn't read the title of to his chest as he made a shy greeting before scurrying off to hide. So that left one. "And this is my adoptive son, Jace Herondale" she said proudly and the golden boy walked grudgingly down the stairs.

"Nice to meet you" he said forcedly, giving her a quick, false smiled before walking back over to Alec. Something told Clary that this boy wasn't someone who enjoyed new company.

"Well then, now we're all acquainted-" Maryse started before she was interrupted by a voice from the front door.

"So this is Clarissa?" the voice said. Clary followed the sound and was met by the gold-green eyes - curved slightly by what Clary assumed to be Asian heritage - of a very sparkly looking young man with spiked black hair and an almost see through shirt over black leather trousers, rings winking on each of his slim fingers. "I'm Magnus" he said walking elegantly down the steps, reaching for Clary's hand and kissing her knuckle. She blushed slightly, more at the contact than the person himself, but either way, he seemed like a very forward, very likable man. "I'm Alexander's boyfriend" he said with a wink and he straightened up.

"Oh" Clary replied, not shocked, everyone knew that, Magnus seemed like that kind of guy, it was Alex that shocked her. He just didn't come across that way, he seemed to serious, traditional even, the kind of boy who had to ask out the girl or feel Emasculated, but Clary was happy to know he was accepted.

There had been a girl two years above her at her London secondary school, Jessica her name was. She came out to her parents when she fifteen and they rejected her, so she moved out and went to live with a girl she'd met at a club. Now she's doing well for herself, she published her first self-help book at seventeen and it's all been getting better from there.

Clary hadn't realised that Luke had entered the group until she heard him and Maryse talking.

"So are you here long?" Maryse asked kindly, clearly familiar with Luke.

"No, 'fraid not, I've got to go pick up my niece, Maia, and take her back to England with me" he said back, his accent suddenly obvious to Clary now he was talking to well spoken Maryse. Is that how she sounded? Was her English accent _that_ obvious? "I'd best be off now, Clary" Luke said, and Clary was overwhelmed by a sudden fear of being alone with strangers.

"Do you have to?" she said, trying not to sound like a child. She was pretty sure she heard one of the boys, probably the cold, gold one, scoffing at her.

"I'm sorry, Clary, but Maia needs me, I've got to pick her up in-" he stopped to check his watch "-forty-three minutes" he finished and gave her an apologetic look. Clary didn't waste another second, she threw herself at Luke, wrapping her slim arms around his shoulders, trying to kept he tears at bay as she hid her face in the crook of his neck.

"Hey" he said kindly, the voice she'd associated with a father-figure for the past six months "I'm only a phone call away" he said jokingly "If you need me, just ring me" he said, his grip on her tightening for a second, just one encouraging second, but it was enough to give Clary a burst of bravery. "Besides, I'm not due back in England for another week or two" If Luke could survive after leaving his family, Clary could do the same.

"I love you, Luke" she said and he smiled down at her, his blue eyes sad behind his square glasses.

"I love you too, Clary" he replied, planting a kiss on her forehead, smoothing some of her escaped ringlets out of the way. With one last smile, he climbed behind the wheel of his rented car and reversed out of the driveway. Clary didn't take her eye's off of that spot until the sound of the engine with inaudible from the distance.

* * *

"And this is your room" Isabelle said with a smile. She'd just shown Clary every room of the house, from the dinning room, to the games room, to the lounge and the ball room. Isabelle didn't quite know why it was they had a ballroom, but they did. The tour finally ended at the bedrooms.

All the bedrooms were on a singular corridor up the first fight of stairs. The first door was plain white, next to that was a door with 'Izzy' written on it in black, cursive writing. The next door was covered in manga pictures with Max written in untidy bubble writing. There were two doors opposite to Isabelle's, one belonging to Alec, one belonging to Jace. Every other door on this floor led either to another bedroom or a closet.

"Alec and Jace are bringing your things up" she pressed again, trying to gauge any kind of a reaction from the new girl as she could. She wasn't what Isabelle had been expecting from someone with a name like Clarissa. She'd expected a tall, British girl, with long blonde hair that curled perfectly in to delicate ringlets, with blue eyes that shone like the ocean in the summer. A girl who she could talk to about fashion and boys. Instead, Clary was short and slim, with bright emerald eyes and a curling mass of red hair with a soft, round and freckled face.

She didn't dress how Isabelle had expected either. She wore skinny jeans with a rip in both knees, the blue denim fraying to white, with a grass green blouse under a denim jacket, red converse on her feet.

Just as Isabelle opened her mouth to speak again, there were three consecutive thuds, and Isabelle turned to see Alec and Jace, three black suitcases at their feet.

"Here you go, Clary" Alec said with a smile, a warm brotherly smile that Isabelle saw an awful lot. "I hope you settle in okay" and then he headed off towards his own room, Jace just trudged back downstairs, not sparing a glance at Clary, or even smiling to Isabelle.

"I get the feeling he doesn't like me" Clary's quiet voice spoke out.

"Who-Jace?" she said and laughed a sweet, melodic laugh "Jace doesn't really like anyone." She said, but she said it kindly. "Anyway, I should leave you to settle in, I'll come and get you again when dinners ready though, okay?" she said eagerly, a bright happy look in her dark eyes, Clary nodded, not trusting herself to talk again, and then Isabelle went bounding down the hall and disappeared out of sight, leaving Clary to settle inot her new home alone.

Clary's new room was enormous, easily twice the size of her old family home, and maybe even three times the size of the room she had in Luke's tiny flat. There was a large floor to ceiling window with a plush green velvet window seat. Two floor-to-ceiling book shelves flanked the seat, but both were empty of any books, making them look bare and unfamiliar. The carpet was light beige, the walls a pale green, black flowers painted over some area's in soft, curling patterns.

There was a large double bed made of dark wood against the middle of the wall, the covers were white with a black flowered pattern over the top, green pillows adorning the top of the headboard. There was a dark wood vanity table empty of anything at all, a large empty wardrobe sat next to a similar empty chest of drawers. In one of the back corners was a door, presumably leading into a bathroom that Clary would check out later, and in the last corner a writing desk big enough for her to do any work she might find necessary.

She sighed, as beautiful as this house was – and it was extremely beautiful – it just wasn't home. Home was with her mother and her father in England, living in their sweet, moderately size family home with her older brother.

Not knowing what else to do, and longing to be with someone who she knew and trusted, Clary reached into her pocket, pulling out her slightly scratched and battered old phone, a present for her thirteenth birthday. She didn't even need to dial the number, his number was always saved.

After she pressed the call button it only took two rings for him to pick up, his soft, caring voice so familiar, and so far away.

"Hello" he said his voice half fuzzed by the distance and the not-so-great phone signal.

"It's me" Clary half whispered back, tears threatening to crack her voice.

"Hey, Clary what's up? Are you okay? Are you in America?" his voice sounded calm, but Clary knew the undertone of panic that carried in his voice.

"I'm fine, Jon, really, I just needed someone to talk to" she said with a sniffle. And she could hear Jonathon's pained sigh at the other end of the crackling connection.

"Well you know me, I'm all ears" and Clary poured out very single problem, every single worry, everything that could possible need to be told. She vented it all to her brother, pleading with him understand. She knew he was over a forty two hour drive away, but she needed her big brother more than ever now, she needed someone to help her through this, she didn't want to do anything else on her own.

* * *

It was seven o'clock when Isabelle went back up to Clary's room. She knocked on the wooden door, but no one replied. Taking this as a sign, she cautiously let the door creek open. Her bags were still stacked neatly at the end of her bed, not one of them opened. Clary herself was curled up on her bed atop the covers, asleep with a phone grasped in her hands.

Not wanting to disturb the girl while she slept, Isabelle crept back down the hall way before jumping down the stairs.

"She's asleep" she said to her mother who was stood by the stove, her hair now tied in a loose ponytail as she cooked for her family. Maryse loved to cook. She always finished work early at least once a week so she could came home and prepare a meal for her family. At least that way she knew they were eating something healthy and not just take-out food.

"Well then we'll leave her be, if she gets hungry she'll come down and find one of us" Maryse said with a smile. "Has anyone seen Jace?" she asked, locking eyes with everyone in the room.

"Asleep too" Alec said from his place at the kitchen island, Magnus by his side

"Well, we'll leave them both" she said, and began serving the food to her children. "It can't be easy for either of them" she said solemnly, knowing how hard it was when Jace joined a new family.


	3. Chapter 3

**Next chapter!**

**thank you to everyone who has followed/favourite/reviewed this story! I would love for there to be more ;)**

* * *

Just over a week later, Clary was starting her first day at school. She'd finally reached the stage where she could have open conversations with anyone in the house (Jace aside) and Isabelle was being especially friendly. This was the reason why Clary was awake at half six on a Tuesday morning having various items of clothing thrown at her by Isabelle.

"Clary, do you honestly not have any decent clothes" Isabelle asked as she continued throwing tops and jeans out of the wardrobe as Clary tried to dodge them.

"Thanks, Izzy" she replied with a sigh, pulling her hair back into a scraggy looking bun, the most docile a hair style she could manage.

"Aha!" Izzy shouted, the onslaught of falling material ceasing. "This is perfect!" she said, holding up a black dress that would fall to Clary's mid thigh. "This is perfect!"

"Izzy" Clary said "It's December" but Isabelle didn't seem phased. She was stood wearing a pair of black jeans, a floating red top and her usual heeled boots. "It's too cold for a dress."

"Fine" Isabelle huffed, You'll have to wear something of mine" she said, but before Clary could protest, Isabelle had flounced back to her own room, leaving Clary frustrated and annoyed on her bed.

The room had changed considerably in the past week; all her clothes were packed away in the large wardrobe and chest of draws, both still seeming rather empty. Her photographs were all dotted around the room in silver photo frames – courtesy of Isabelle - and even some of Clary's paintings were hanging from the walls. Her desk was covered in pencils and paints, several sketchbooks piled high, one of which was opened to a painting of Maryse's rosebushes. The bookshelves were slightly fuller now with either books or photographs. Sighing at how this room still didn't feel overly homey, Clary shut her eyes.

Just then, a head poked through the door. Not wanting to move too much from exhaustion, Clary merely grumbled at whoever it was.

"Izzy got you up early then?" said the voice from the door, but it wasn't a voice Clary was used to hearing. Craning her neck she saw a flash of golden hair, and knew instantly who it was. Jace.

"You could say that" she replied with a shy, slightly awkward smile, one that surprisingly, Jace returned, his being slightly more cocky. He'd barely spoken to her since she'd arrived, only trivial things like asking for the salt at dinner.

"Well I'll let you know when we're leaving, I'm giving everyone a lift today" he said and left, leaving Clary slightly confused. It was only after he'd left that Clary realised she was still wearing her pyjamas. A grey shirt that was far too big for her and a pair of blue jogging bottoms. She groaned at herself just as Izzy flounced back into the room.

"Put it on" she said, holding the clothes towards Clary, she took them reluctantly, walking slowly towards her bathroom to change.

An hour and half later, they were finally ready to go. Isabelle had managed to coax Clary into wearing a pair of dark blue skinny jeans which she had to roll up so she didn't trip over the hems, a very large, very baggy grey jumper and a pair of boots with a black necklace Isabelle had insisted on. Much to Isabelle's disappointment, the boot's weren't heeled. Amazingly, Isabelle had even managed to tame Clary's hair, letting the bright red ringlets fall down past her shoulders in what could be considered a 'pretty' way.

"Ready to go?" Jace asked, grabbing his keys from the hook by the front door. Isabelle was already out of the door, her heels clicking on the wooden decking as Clary slung her paint covered rucksack over her shoulder. "You'll be fine" Jace said to her as he climbed into his leather jacket.

Clary had prayed her nerves weren't that obvious, but clearly they were. Her hands were shaking slightly, her face flushed and she found it incredibly hard to move from her spot in the entrance hall.

"Why are you suddenly being nice to me?" she asked curiously, trying to make her voice louder than the squeak it was going to be.

"Let's just say, I remember how hard it was to be the new kid at school" he replied reasonably, "But you will be fine." He reassured.

"You don't know that" she said, and only when she spoke to one of the Lightwood's did she realise how much her accent stood out. "I stick out like a sore thumb. How am I going to fit with American teenagers when I still look and sound like and English one?" Jace weighed this up for a minute.

"Well if it's any consolation" he said, placing an arm around her shoulder to coax her out of the door, like trying to herd a wild animal. "The three of us don't fit in with America kids either"

* * *

The school itself was inside the city, but not so much that the traffic was unbearable. Clary was sat in the back seat of Jace's car with Isabelle and Max, Alec sitting in the front. The two older boys were locked in a very enthusiastic discussion, apparently about something Clary didn't understand. Meanwhile, Isabelle was fussing with Max's hair, trying to flatten it down so it looked less 'Rugged'.

"Come on, Max" Jace said, pulling up outside a school, the large metal sign reading _Alicante__ Elementary school__. _Max grumbled, but still didn't complain when Isabelle climbed out of the car to let him out. Isabelle then proceeded to grab his hand, walking him up to the school's entrance, carrying his bag for him.

It hit Clary then how different this place was from England. In England, every child wore a uniform to school, and had to line outside their designated classroom before they could enter the building. In America, they wore what they wanted and just walked straight into the school with or without a parent. Apparently America schools weren't as paranoid as English ones since some children where arriving by a large yellow school bus.

Sneaking a glance at the mirror, she saw Jace flash a wink at her. Luckily, her blush died down before Isabelle clambered into the car again. The following drive was only about five minutes and then Jace was pulling into a parking space outside of a large red brick building.

There were three floors, each one lined with too many windows for Clary to count in one go. There were light cream pathways leading off in all different directions, some leading to doors, others curving around the building where Clary couldn't see. There were patches of grass, some adorning trees or benches, others with wild flowers.

It was only after she'd taken the whole image in that Clary realised something extremely odd.

"Where are all the students?" she asked Isabelle when they had both climbed out of the car. She'd expected it to be chaos, teenagers everywhere, cars being parked, buses arriving and people everywhere talking about their weekends and joking around with everyone. But the entire place was baron.

"They'll be in their classes" she replied with a smile, readjusting the straps on her boots. "We're always late" she said, elaborating on the point that Clary didn't understand. "Come one, I'll show you where to get your timetable."

Half an hour later, Clary was stood outside of a classroom, a folded piece of paper in her hands and a locker key in her pocket. English schools didn't have lockers; neither did they have grumpy looking old women, with pin prick eyes smoking behind a pane of glass at their student help desk, but there you go. Then again, it had been so long since Clary lived in America, maybe she didn't know what was acceptable and what was not.

The bell rang just as Clary was standing outside the door. Just then, students began pouring out of classrooms, filling the hallways like water in a jug, spacing out in every direction. She had to slip into the classroom just to avoid getting trampled.

"You must be Miss Morgenstern" said a light, friendly voice from behind her. Turning around she saw a woman wearing a grey pencil skirt and a white blouse. She had dark hair pulled out of her face and into a strict looking ponytail; her dark eyes were a soft almond shaped as she smiled at her. "I'm Mrs Penhallow, your art teacher for this year" Clary smiled, Art, the one lesson she might possibly be good at. "Sit where ever you like dear, I'll explain more when the rest of the class arrives."

The class poured in slowly and reluctantly, students taking whatever seats they could, seeming to avoid Clary at all cost. Just when Clary had lost all hope of any one sitting at her table, a familiar voice chirped in her ears.

"Found your way around okay then, Clary" Isabelle said. She was joined by another girl with dark hair to her chin and the same almond shaped eyes as the teacher, Mrs. Penhallow. "Clary, meet Aline, Aline, meet Clary, my new adopted sister" Isabelle said with a proud smile, one that made Clary finally felt she wasn't going to be alone here after all.

"Hi, Clary" Aline said, reaching a slim hand across Isabelle to shake Clary's "Nice to finally meet you, Izzy's been rattling on for days about you, I take it you'll be sitting with us at lunch?" she asked and Clary found herself looking at Isabelle for approval.

"Of course she will" Isabelle exclaimed. "She doesn't know anyone else yet" Isabelle's loud voice drew some attention, particularly that of the teacher who was currently explaining what everyone was to do today.

"It's nice to meet you too" Clary said quietly, hoping not to receive the glare from Mrs Penhallow that Isabelle just had.

"You're British?" Aline said, more of an observation than a question, Clary nodded in response. "You're going to fit in just fine" she said, her bright red lips quirking at the edges in what Clary thought was appreciation. Maybe Clary wasn't going to be such an outcast after all.

* * *

Lessons came and went like a blur to Clary, everything was so much faster here than in England, everyone spoke so quickly and being the only one speaking with a foreign accent only added to making Clary feel more and more out of place. Lunch was the only time she really got to slow down.

Luckily, Isabelle was in her class before lunch and showed her where to go. They both bought their food, neither looking too excited to eat it, and then sat at an empty table by the window.

"So, how do you like High school?" Isabelle said taking a sip of her drink.

"It's okay" Clary said, trying desperately to hide the British cling to her voice "The people are nice" to which Isabelle laughed.

"Clary, if you want to survive more than a few days at this school then you need to know not everyone is nice, you've only met about three people, one of which sits with us." Clary gave her blank stare, making Isabelle roll her eyes. "Over there, see, the girls wearing very little." And Clary cast her gaze to the girls sat a few tables away, all of them had perfect hair, makeup and matching skimpy uniforms of white, blue and pink. "They are not nice people." Just then four more people joined the table.

"Hey, Clary" said a familiar voice and Clary looked up to see Aline smiling down at her, her hand clasped with someone else's. "This is Helen, my girlfriend" she said very quickly and shyly, obviously worried of Clary's reaction.

"Nice to meet you" Clary said politely, smiling up at the tall girl with curly white-blonde hair.

"You never said she was British!" Helen half squealed, sitting down opposite Clary, her blue-green eyes alight with anticipation. "What's England like now? I've not been there in so long? Does it still rain a lot"

"Jeez, Helen" came a voice from next to Clary, she turned and saw Jace sitting next to her, a handful of fries in one hand. "Let the girl eat"

"Sorry" Helen said "I used to live in England with my brother when I was young. I get carried away is all" she said shyly, and Aline planted a quick kiss on Helen's cheek.

"I see you two are still at it" said a drawling, high pitched, whiny voice. Looking up, Clary caught sight of a very tall, very slim girl wearing the skimpy outfit she'd seen the other girls wearing. She had very large blonde hair that seemed to shine in the light and exceedingly bright blue eyes. "Izzy, I was wondering if you were planning on coming back to the squad this year" she continued, acting as if no one else was even there any more.

Isabelle smiled sweetly at her, but there was anger in her dark eyes, the likes of which Clary had never seen before.

"You can go to hell, Kaelie" she said with the same sickly sweet smile. Kaelie seemed extremely unbothered by her response. "You, and the rest of the Faeries" she spat, indicating with her head towards the table of Barbie-like girls, all of whom were currently watching the action unfold.

"Shame, it was something you were actually good at" she replied with a shrug. Isabelle opened her mouth to retort, something no doubt rude and insulting, but Clary cut her off.

"I'm perfectly sure that Isabelle is good at many things. She was very good in Latin last lesson" Clary said uncharacteristically boldly. She didn't even try to hide the strong accent that showed through when she spoke to Kaelie.

"Who are you?" Kaelie spat, her bright blue eyes boring into Clary's as she looked down on her. There was no doubt that Kaelie would exceed Clary's height even when she wasn't sat down, that meant that right now Clary was clearly dwarfed in size.

"Clarissa Morgenstern" she said bravely, not bothering to even try and be polite in extending a hand to Kaelie, the way she had been taught to all her life. "I'm the Lightwood's new adopted daughter" she said and smiled the same sickly sweet smile as Isabelle. Somehow, she wasn't so sure she pulled it off as well.

"Well if I was you, _Clarissa_" she said, spitting the name like it burnt her tongue "I'd stay out of things the don't concern you"

"I think you've made your point, Kaelie" said a voice from behind her. No one craned their eyes to look who it was, just laughed silently as they tried to eat their food. "Leave the girl alone now"

"I thought they kicked you out of here, dog" Kaelie spat, obviously not fond of the girl who was standing behind her. Clary couldn't see the action since her view was blocked by Kaelie's unnaturally large behind.

"If you'd like to help me give them another reason to, I'd be glad to put you on your ass again, if not, run along" the girl spat mockingly. Whatever had happened between the girls must have been bad because Kaelie scampered off back to where she came from, her head held snootily high, leaving Clary looking at the girl who had sent her off.

She was average height and curving, with dark olive skin. Despite the cold December weather, she wore faded jean shorts showing off her slim, dark legs and a plain black vest that hugged her curves perfectly, a green jacket tied around her waist. Her curly brown hair was braided to her scalp and pulled into a small ponytail as she smiled at Clary.

"Maia!" Clary shouted, leaping from her seat to hug the girl before her.

"Hey, Clare" she said happily, returning the girls hug "I figured I'd find you with the Lightwoods" she said with a knowing smile, her dark eyes filled with a careless sort of pride.

"We've been looking after her" Said Isabelle proudly, obviously fond of Maia. "But Kaelie did have a point, Maia, weren't you kicked out?" she enquired, making Maia's mouth quirk up into a mischievous smirk.

"I was, yes" she said calmly "But I wanted to make sure Clary was fitting on okay" she said, slinging an arm across Clary's shoulders. She leant her head down slightly, whispering into Clary's ear. "Luke wanted me to check on you" she said before puling away, giving Clary a wink.

"Well it's great to see you again, Maia" Alec said with a genuinely kind smile. "It's not been the same without you" Maia grinned at this before looking briefly over her shoulder and sighing in faux sadness.

"And I'm afraid my time is now up" she said with a half sad, half excited sigh. Clary followed her gaze and saw Kaelie standing next to who looked like police officers in the doorway, glancing over at the various tables of teenagers all eating and chatting blissfully. "It's been great to see you all"

And with that she left Clary's side and jumped onto the table, cupping her hands over her mouth, everyone dragging their trays away from the girls feet. "Oi!" she shouted, making every head – including the police officers – turn her way "I'm over here dumb ass!" and with one last wink at Clary and a smile for the others, Maia jumped from the table, her trainers squeaking on the plastic surface and darted for the back door, running out onto the grass field behind the cafeteria.

The police officers rushed after her, leaving Clary, Aline, Helen and the Lightwoods left in hysterics at the confident girls actions, watching as she easily scaled the fence of the football (Or soccer as they called it here) field and disappeared into the city.

"I'll miss that girl" Alec said, seeming to brush away a happy tear from his eye, still laughing slightly.

"At least she went out with a bang" Aline said between her barks of laughter.

"Of course she did!" Jace exclaimed, chuckling slightly at the dark haired girls antics, watching amusedly as the police officers tried to find the gate to the soccer field's fence. "It's how she'd want to be remembered" Every one nodded in agreement, their lunched long forgotten. "Unlucky for her she turned up the day the Freshman had a careers day, although, I'm not sure I wouldn't mind one of those nurses chasing after me" he said, staring into nothingness as Isabelle smacked his arm.

"Well, I've got to go and find Mark" Helen said, pushing her tray towards the middle of the table, her salad practically untouched. "I've got to tell him to wait for me outside the school" she said rolling her beautiful blue-green eyes and planting a kiss on Aline's cheek. "Are you picking up Max tonight, Izzy?" she asked the dark eyed girl.

"I am yes, have you got to pick up Julian?" she enquired. Helen laughed in response.

"And Livvy, and Ty and Dru, and Mark has to go and get Tavvy" she said rolling her eyes again. "Who'd have thought, I'm a mother of five at eighteen" but she didn't sound annoyed, she sounded overjoyed.

"Mother of six" Aline added jokingly "You can't forget little Emma" she said knowingly, smirking as Helen rolled her eyes again.

"How could I?" Helen replied sarcastically but kind heartedly.

"Are they all your siblings?" Clary asked, slightly astounded by the thought of so many children.

"Yep, we live with our Uncle, Emma is an adopted sister of ours" she said proudly, thinking of the little blonde girl who was feisty as she was loud "Any way, best be off, I'll meet you by the gates Iz!" she shouted as she left the cafeteria, waving at all her friends as she left.

Just as the conversation began once again between them, all of them still laughing at Maia's great escape, the end of lunch bell rang. The room was filled with the sound of scrapping chairs as teenagers all over the place got up to leave. The occupants at Clary's table all pushed their trays forwards and Aline laughed quietly.

"Look's like Clary drew the short straw" she said, her thin eyebrow raised.

"Come on, Aline" Isabelle said with the same knowing tone to her voice. "It's her first day"

"Rules are rules" she replied, holding her hands up "There's nothing I can do about it"

"Can someone please explain?" Clary said, seemingly careless about her accent in the presence of so many American teens. Everyone gave each other a knowing look, all smiling cockily at one another until Aline finally spoke up.

"Who ever pushes their tray to the centre of the table last" she said, indicating to the pile of trays filled with uneaten food. "Takes the trays to the bay" she said, pointing to where other students were all milling around, trays filled with empty plates in their hands. "It's tradition"

"I'll do it" said an amused voice. Clary looked up to see Jace begin to grab plates and trays, stacking them dangerously high on top of one another. "But little red can come with so she knows what she'd doing next time" he said with a smile at Clary.

Seeming to accept this proposal, the others left, all of them waving jauntily as they went.

"Little Red?" Clary asked, raising an eyebrow at Jace who smirked back.

"I thought it felt appropriate for someone of your, ahem, stature" he said, a quiet, forced cough in the middle. Clary placed her hand son her hip, trying to look intimidating and failing.

"Don't talk down to me" Clary said, surprisingly boldly, her green eyes staring into his gold. She could see the flicker of a challenge across his irises and Her fingers itched once again for a pencil and sketchbook,, something to capture his mystery.

"Well I can hardly talk up to you" he said casually before his face broke out into one of the brightest smiles she'd even seen grace his beautiful features. "You're too short" and he turned to walk towards the tray bay, laughing proudly at himself. "Can you grab my bag as well?" He asked over his shoulder as Clary stood there, dumbstruck.

Once she'd gotten over the initial shock, she grabbed her paint splattered rucksack, slinging it over her shoulder before grabbing Jace's black shoulder bag from under the table, thoroughly surprised by how heavy it was.

And as Clary scrambled after him, her arms full with more weight from Jace's school bag than she had been expecting from the rebellious look of him, with his leather jacket and ripped jeans, she smiled. For the first time since she'd arrive, Clary didn't feel lost at all, in fact, she could almost say she felt accepted.

* * *

**So, what do you think. Since I mentioned Maia being a trouble maker a few chapters ago, I thought I'd fit her in somewhere making trouble.**

**Please review! ;)**


	4. Chapter 4

**It seems like I'm going to do two chapter updates at a time, that way I feel less guilty if I don't update for a while :P**

**Please review!**

* * *

"Why are they always late?" Helen sighed agitatedly, rubbing her eyes with her free hand. It was twenty minutes since they had all left the school and were now all standing outside _Alicante Elementary_.

Clary and her new group of friends had all grouped outside the school gates, Jace and Alec leaning on Jace's sleek black car, Isabelle stood with her perfect posture, watching, bored, as the other young students got into buses or parents cars and disappeared, Max looking shy by her side. Helen stood checking her watch every few seconds; two very bored looking children standing next to her and one holding her hand that looked very interested in the clouds, two girls and one boy.

"Clary, these are three of Helen's siblings" Isabelle said, trying to hide her amusement at Helen's irritation. Helen seeming to only just have remembered Clary presence quickly amended herself

"Oh, yes" she said hurriedly "This is Livia" she said placing her hand on top of the little girls head who looked to be about ten years old. She had soft brown hair that hung over her shoulders and back with the same blue-green eyes as Helen. She wore a soft yellow dress beneath a large grey coat. Her small hand, cosily sat in a pair of striped mittens, was clutching protectively to the hand of the little boy beside her. "And this is Tiberius, Livia's twin" Helen said, indicating to the boy that Livia held onto so protectively.

For twins, Tiberius and Livia looked nothing alike. Where Livia's hair was soft and brown, falling perfectly over her shoulders, Tiberius's was shiny and black, sticking out messily in all directions, and where Livia had Helens blue-greens eyes like spring lake water, Tiberius's were steely grey.

Tiberius wore grey trousers and a white button down shirt beneath a black coat, his hands were bare as he held on tightly to Livia's. His steely grey eyes were staring at Clary with a mixture of uncertainty and curiosity, where as Livia glared at her with a fierce spark of protection.

"And this here is Drusilla" she said, placing a hand on the head of little girl who looked about eight years old with little brown pigtails poking out from beneath a knitted blue hat, and eyes like Helen's. "Our little dreamer" the girl wore a large blue coat atop a denim pinafore and a white shirt with a stripy scarf around her throat, matching mittens on her hands, one of which Helen was holding.

"Nice to meet you" Clary said as kindly as she could, she wasn't used to small children since she was always the youngest. Tiberius's curiosity seemed to spark even more at the sound of Clary's accent but his uncertainty grew as well. "I'm Clary" Drusilla gave Clary a small wave before her eyes trained back to the sky, daydreaming, but neither of the other children said anything, but they didn't have to, at that moment Clary heard Helen's exasperated shout.

"And where have you two been!" she shouted and Clary looked up to see two children, one girl and one boy, who both looked to be about twelve years old, a guilty and apologetic look on their faces. The boy was taller than the girl, slim with messy brown hair – like Drusilla and Livia's – and with the same blue-green eyes. The girl was only a few inches shorter and just as slim, she had long, light blonde hair pulled into a scruffy braid that fell down her back and mischievous, chocolate coloured eyes.

"Me and Emma got held back" the boy said quietly, looking awkwardly at his shuffling feet.

"It wasn't Jules's fault!" the little girl suddenly burst out, standing protective between, who Clary assumed to be Julian, and Helen. The older girl currently had her hands on her hips, a scarily maternal look in her eyes. Helen clearly wasn't kidding when she said she was mother to six children.

"I got caught throwing a rubber at the back of Charlie's head and Charlie blamed Julian" she said defiantly, her brown eyes fierce and strong. Clary saw now what Aline had meant, Emma clearly was as feisty as she was loud, and she was pretty loud for a twelve year old.

"And pray tell" Helen said sternly "Why did you throw a rubber at the back of Charlie's head?" Helen asked, keeping the stern expression on her face.

"He said you, Mark and Tiberius were freaks" Julian said quietly. Clary watched as Tiberius's grip on Livia tightened, the little girls face reddening with rage. "And that it's no wonder dad left with a brat like me for a son" He said sadly. Helen's face softened instantly, her blue-green eyes so much kinder.

"Jules" she said kindly, opening her arms to the little boy, who ran into them gratefully. "You know that's not true" she said, gently stroking Julian's hair as he buried his face in hers and Emma watched over them both with a strange look in her eyes. "Come on" she said, holding out a hand for Julian, Drusilla holding on the other one, Emma grabbed Julian's other hand and Tiberius and Livia held tightly onto one another. "Time we went home" with a kind smile at all of the children; she looked back at her friends. "I'll see you all tomorrow" she said and began walking to opposite way down the street.

* * *

It got dark incredibly early, Clary thought, as she sat on her green window seat, wearing her yellow pyjama shorts and a white vest, the only shirt of her fathers wrapped around her like a blanket, her hair tied back and a book lying open across her legs. She wasn't reading it, no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't focus. Her focus was instead drawn to the battered phone that sat in her lap, her text message outbox reading _24 _her inbox still reading _0._ For the past week, and ever since she'd arrived in America, she'd texted Simon, yet he never replied.

She couldn't understand it; did he blame her for leaving him, did he? That was absurd, completely out of the question! Simon knew more than anyone how much Clary hated to leave England, and yet, where was he.

There was a soft knock on Clary's door.

"Come in" she called, locking her phone with a deflated sigh. The door creaked open slightly, revealing calm and casual looking Jace, his golden hair shining like the sun as the hall light illuminated it in Clary's dimly lit room. Clary had rejected the use of her main room light, deciding instead on chains of dozens of fairy lights hanging across her ceiling, filling the room with soft, multi-coloured light, just like her room in London. Except her room in London her bright orange walls and posters stuck around the place, making it look scruffy and un-kept, where as here it was the most elegant place Clary had every stayed. "What a pleasant surprise" she said dully, rolling her eyes at the ever present smirk the graced his oddly beautiful features.

"You weren't at dinner" Jace said nonchalantly, his golden eyes scanning over her indifferently. "Just came to check you were okay." He said with a shrug.

"Well I'm still breathing" she said solemnly, the happy lilt she attempted to put into her voice drowned out by disappointment. Anyone else, it could have been anyone else that she could talk to. Isabelle, Magnus, even Alec, but Jace was too much, he was insufferably rude at the best of times. "I think that classes as okay"

"Are you British people always so morbid?" he asked cockily, waltzing into her room like it was his own, examining every piece of furniture like it was the last thing he'd want to own.

"If by morbid you mean realistic, then yes" Clary replied, boldly, shutting the book she had on her lap and glaring up at Jace, her breath catching as he picked up the photo frame on her bedside table.

"Who's this?" he asked curiously, pointing to the picture of Clary when she was thirteen, her father watching them from a distance as her and Jonathon laughed on a beach in Devon.

"That's my brother, Jonathon" she replied grimly, looking longingly at the frozen picture of the white haired boy, his black eyes laughing merrily as he ruffled Clary's fiery red hair, both of them smiling at something she couldn't remember. He was wearing his black and white swimming shorts, his arms wrapped around a young Clary in a green sundress, the perfect family photograph.

"And where is he?" Jace asked, placing the picture down again, looking over her with a strange look in his eyes.

"He's at University in California" she said bluntly, not wanting to drag the conversation out any longer than she had to.

"At least he's close" he said, making Clary scoff quietly from her spot on the window seat. She couldn't help the feeling of nervousness she felt from having Jace scour around her room, his eyes looking at everything, his tanned fingers running the length of the silver photo frames like they were unsatisfactory for his tastes. "Who are these people?" he said, picking up another picture.

This one was of two of Clary's old English friends. They were both older than her, around nineteen years old in the photo, they'd met in the library back in the city, Clary was looking for a book and one of them had it.

The boy was tall and frightfully thin, his dark hair streaked with silver despite his young age. He wore a white shirt with the top few buttons undone revealing his skin stretched over his collar bone beneath a dark blue, v-neck jumper, the clothing was too baggy for his slim frame. The girl was tall and slim, with kind grey eyes and soft brown curls she had falling over her shoulders. She wore blue jeans with a dark jacket, a soft cream scarf wrapped around her throat.

The couple were wrapped up in each others arms, blissfully unaware of Clary as she snapped the picture of the two of them on BlackfriarsBridge in London. The girl was staring sadly, but lovingly up at the man who had his eyes closed in a delighted smile.

"That's Tessa and Jem" she said "Some old friends of mine from England" her voice was sad as she looked down at the hands she had clasped in her lap "They're engaged, in case you were wondering" she added defensively, watching as he eyed the couple like they had green skin or extra heads, something inhuman and disgusting.

"Why does he look so sick?" Jace asked not overly kindly, holding the picture away at arms length.

"That would be because he is sick" Clary spat, her green eyes sparking protectively. "He's only got a few months left to live" she said, standing up quickly, snatching the picture from Jace's grasp. "Sorry if I'm being morbid again, must be because I'm British" she said snidely, placing the picture back down on her drawing desk, not noticing how Jace's eyes followed it.

"You know I didn't me-" he began but seemed to think differently, bringing himself back up to his height. "You paint?" he asked instead, amending himself from the previous hiccup. She snorted derisively at him, a dry laugh escaping her throat.

"Ten points for observation" she said dryly, walking back towards her window seat and landing ungracefully with her back to him. He was about to reply when a sharp ringing sound resounded through Clary's room. Jace looked un-phased, his hands in his pockets, but Clary's eyes lit up. She lunged forward on the seat, grabbing the black brick that Jace then realised to be her phone.

"Hello" she said eagerly, holding the phone as close to her ear as possibly with both hands. Jace stood by idly as her face fell slightly, a smile still gracing her features all the same. Clearly she'd thought it was someone else, but it still pleasing for her to hear this person speak. "I'm fitting in fine" she said, rolling her eyes, wrapping a free arm around her knees as she stared into nothing.

"You're joking!" Clary suddenly shouted, leaping form her spot on the seat, her eyes wide and ablaze with joy "When? How?" she asked excitedly, staring at Jace with an adorable smile across her soft features. Jace raised an eyebrow at her, but she half ignored him. "I can't wait!" she said brightly "I love you too" and with that she hung up.

"Well?" Jace asked her, half sarcastic, half curious.

"That was Jonathon" she said, still smiling brightly "He's visiting during the Christmas holidays, after he's finished his project" she was positively beaming, her face alight with happiness as she squealed to herself.

"I look forward to meeting him" Jace said, no sarcasm that Clary could detect in his voice. She smiled up at him, the sudden thought that this boy wasn't so cold after all running through her mind as she watched his smiling gold eyes. Finally, Clary was getting a piece of her old life back; the thought was almost enough to knock Simon from her mind. Almost.

* * *

_He didn't know where he was, the sky was a brighter blue than he'd ever seen it, no sign of the sun anywhere, yet the area was lit like a summers day. There was a sweet scent filling the air, fruity and warm, like the mulled wine Maryse made once at Christmas. _

_The place was filled with teenagers dancing around the misty floor to a song Jace didn't recognise. He saw Alec with Magnus, his head resting carelessly on the chest of a very glittery man, both of whom were wearing smart suits, all white._

_Next he saw Helen and Aline nearer the edge of the group. Helen was holding Aline's hand, spinning her elegantly in perfect circles, her white blonde hair pulled into a messy updo. She wore a pristine white dress reaching the floor, the lightly floating skirts swishing along with her. Aline's short black hair was curled into soft ringlets, a floor length white dress with a slit up the left leg clinging elegantly to her slim body. Both girls were smiling brightly, their eyes alight with happiness as they danced together. _

_Isabelle was stood to the side, her long black hair falling like silk down her back, her dark eyes watching the happy couples on the dance floor with a strange, almost disgusted look in her eyes. She wore a floor length white dress that floated slightly in a breeze Jace could feel, she looked almost happy, her dark eyes longing for something no one else understood. Even Maia was there, wearing, to Jace's surprise, a long white dress, her hair down for once, un-braided. _

_Jace was content, watching all his friends being happy and Isabelle looking like she was going to have some sort of allergic reaction, it wasn't until he felt a light tap on his shoulder that he noticed anyone was missing. Turning around, his face broke involuntarily into a bright smile. _

_Before him stood one of the most beautiful angels he had ever seen. She was short and slim, curving ever so slightly, enough that you noticed if you paid enough attention. Her dress was a beautiful white, hugging her delicately, scraping the floor due to her short height. Her face was baron of makeup, her lusciously wild red ringlets falling down her back, her bright greens looking up at him shyly. _

_They didn't speak, Jace simply held out his hand and she took it. He noticed a golden clasp in the angel's hair, holding a small fraction of it away from her soft, pale face. They danced slowly, the entirety of the dance floor seeming to dissipate around them, leaving the two of them alone. _

_"Clary" he breathed out, one of his hands on her waist, the other holding her free hand. She moved forwards, wrapping her arms around his shoulders, her fiery head resting on his chest, listening to his rapidly increasing heartbeat. _

_They stayed like that for a while, wrapped up in each others arms, neither wanting to move from the others embrace. It was strange, Jace Herondale, the boy who was taught never to love, that it was a weakness, felt his strongest with this girl in his arms. _

_Seeming to sense the path his thoughts were going, she looked up at him, her bright green eyes showing emotions Jace was so unaccustomed to. She smiled kindly up at him, her head barely reaching his shoulder. he couldn't help it, he smiled back, with just as much, if not more, fervour. His heart rate was quickening, he could feel it thumping against his chest and prayed she couldn't feel it too, but then again, he assumed she was feeling the same. Girls always did._

_Her eyes fluttered closed, her lashes casting thin shadows across her cheeks bones. Cupping her cheek in his hand, Jace leant towards her, ready to press his lips to hers. Jace had kissed many a girl, but none of which made him feel like this, like he was as fragile as a baby bird, as breakable has glass, and he'd never thought he could trust someone enough to be anywhere near him when he was vulnerable, it would serve only to force his downfall, yet he couldn't pull himself away from the angelic looking girl in his arms._

_She was millimetres away, he could feel her breath on his lips, feel her eyelashes tickling his cheek as they fluttered slightly. He was so close; his lips about to brush hers, his free hand moved across her back, fingers brushing daintily across soft downing feathers-_

Jace woke with a start, staring blindly into the dimness of his room. The scent of her hair was still filling his nostrils, the feeling of her breath against his face, as delicate as a feather. He couldn't help it, looking back over the dream, of the intimacy with a girl he'd known for little over two weeks, he smiled, a smile he quickly slapped off of his own face.

Jace Herondale had dreamt intimate dreams about many girls, some he knew the names of, others he didn't, but never had he ever dreamt of anything more than lust. It was strange, the feeling of strength with such a weakening emotion. His father had taught him that love destroyed, and Jace had seen first hand that it did. He, after all, was the one who had found his mother. But the thought of feeling that emotion, of liking someone in a way that would destroy himself, it terrified him.

And the worst part was, Jace Herondale wasn't sure he wanted to live without it.


	5. Chapter 5

**So here's the next chapter. **

**If you haven't already guessed, Luke's anger mentioned in the last few chapters is based off of him being a werewolf, that's why he becomes violent and will hurt anyone without his own knowledge. **

**I am going to be sticking slightly to the mortal instruments storyline, with some obvious things left out (Clary and Jace's sibling ship, for example)**

**Please review though, I love to hear what you guys think!**

* * *

Isabelle was once again; up at the crack of dawn to get herself ready for school except this time she wasn't the first down to breakfast.

"Jace?" she spluttered out when she saw her adoptive brother stood leaning against the kitchen island, a piece of buttered toast in his hand. It was a Thursday which meant both Robert and Maryse were away at work. Maryse came back late every Friday and then left early on Sunday morning, but she spent all of Saturday with her children. Robert, however, was away every day of the week, popping home every now and again to grab fresh clothes and maybe see his children if he was in the mood.

This was no bother to Isabelle, she personally couldn't stand the sight of her father for reasons she didn't care to discuss, but it taught her a very valuable lesson. Hearts are breakable. A lesson she hoped her moron brothers would be learning soon. As much as she loved seeing them happy (even if Jace ddint know it yet) she hated seeing them upset even more.

"Good morning to you too, Isabelle" he said with a cocky smirk.

"What's gotten into you?" she said suspiciously, eyeing him carefully as he took another bite of toast. Jace was never up before eight on a school day, and they left at ten past, so why he was standing in the kitchen at ten to seven was nothing short of mystery. "Are you ill?" she said, quirking an eyebrow as she fiddled with the pendant around her throat.

"Believe it or not" Jace replied casually "I had an extremely pleasant nights sleep, the best I've had in a long time" he said with a smile, dropping the crust on the counter and pushing himself to a standing position. Even more to Isabelle's surprise was that Jace was already washed and dressed as well.

His golden hair was still dripping slightly at the tips onto the shoulders of his white shirt, his skin slightly flushed from the showers heat. "I'll go wake the others, shall I?" he said with a wink before disappearing through the kitchens archway, his bare feet silent on the marble and wooden stairs as he went.

It was approximately ten minutes later that a grumpy looking Clary stumbled into the kitchen, her hair an unruly birds nest that stuck out at all angles, her eyes still half lidded as she planted herself into the nearest stool with a yawn. She still wore her yellow pyjama shorts but she also wore a large, grey hooded jumper, one far too big for her petite frame.

"Late night?" Isabelle asked and Clary smiled at her, not the reaction Isabelle expected this early in the morning.

"You've got no idea" she said with a bright, yet tired smile, one Isabelle tried to return, but at that moment Jace wandered back into the room, his cocky smirk firmly on his face. He smiled genuinely at Clary but she avoided his eyes shyly before he leant back against the kitchen counter, his eyes brighter than Isabelle had seen them in a while.

Usually his eyes were tired, lidded heavily from a night filled with nightmares of his traumatizing childhood. But not today, today his eyes were bright and alive, seeing everything in a whole new light; he even smiled at Alec when he trudged reluctantly down the stairs, his black hair dripping with water droplets onto his black shirted shoulders.

"I don't know, and right now, I don't care" Alec said, holding a hand up too Jace's smiling face, trying to ignore his cocky, arrogant smirk. "All I know is, if you ever wake me up like that again, I will personally kill you with the first blunted object I can find" Isabelle had the great image of Jace throwing water over a sleeping Alec and laughed, clearly Clary felt the same since she was giggling quietly in her seat, Jace casting unfamiliar looks at her as she did so.

* * *

"French will be the death of me" Clary grumbled as she and Isabelle arrived at their cafeteria table, the one with currently no one sat on it. "Why should we need to learn another language anyway" she said, piercing a chip with her fork.

"Clary, Calm down" Isabelle said popping a grape into her mouth. "It's been one weeks, so what if you don't understand" After the strange events taking place that morning, Jace being awake and reachable, his strange glances towards Clary, her blissful ignorance. Something was definitely going to happen, and right now Isabelle was torn between letting the events unfold, or meddling in her sibling's business. "Besides, we have more important issues" she said with a sly smile on her face as her dark eyes looked at Clary, who looked back completely confused.

"Which would be?" she asked gently, trying not to dive in too deep before she got the chance.

"The Christmas dance of course!" Isabelle exclaimed loudly, making several heads turn her way, she didn't seem to notice but Clary could feel the glares on her back like white hot pokers.

"Of course" Clary said, echoing the girl sitting opposite her, despite the fact she had no idea what Isabelle was talking about.

"You and me are going dress shopping on Saturday with Aline and Helen" Isabelle said casually before her eyes turned serious, pointing her fork at Clary, a piece of speared lettuce still attached. "No excuses" Any thoughts Clary had of escape left her mind instantly, there was no way she was possibly getting out of this. Before Isabelle could continue with her orders or Clary could protest, someone behind them cleared their throat.

Both girl turned simultaneously, each one intrigued as to who had ventured to 'their' end of the cafeteria, but more importantly, why. Standing at the head of the table was a boy of about seventeen, maybe eighteen, with messy dark hair and eyes to match, a cocky smile to rival Jace's gracing his features. He had a strong face, much like Jace's, all angles and planes, but where Jace was golden, this boy seemed to be purely black and white. Clary might even have found him attractive had it not been for his choice of clothing. He wore a black and white football jersey with a large symbol on the front, the symbol of the _Alicante Shadowhunters, _their schools football team.

Clary may have been popular once, but she knew more than any one that when a jock turned up at your table, it was never a good sign. But he didn't look at Clary, his gaze was on Isabelle who was glaring daggers at him with her smokey eyes.

"Hey, Izzy" the boy said, his deep voice smooth and charming, like a prince in a fairytale, Clary ignored hi completely, Isabelle looked ready to murder him there and then.

"What do you want Sebastian?" she spat at him, her dark eyes filled with fire.

"I came to ask you to the dance" he said casually, popping one of Isabelle's grapes into his mouth. Much to Clary's (and apparently Sebastians) surprise, Isabelle burst into barks of laughter.

"Go to the dance. With you" she repeated, her cold laughter ringing through the now silent cafeteria. The entire room had stopped their talk to watch the events unfolding before them, like vultures. "I wouldn't go with you if my life depended on it" she sneered at him, and, to Sebastian's credit, he didn't back down.

"Why though, Izzy?" he asked and Isabelle's whole body tensed, her firsts clutched under the table.

"Why?" she spat coldly "Oh, I'll tell you why!" She half shouted, standing up to stare down at him. Even in her heeled boots Isabelle was shorter than this boy, but she easily stared down at him like he was worth nothing. "You're a selfish, lying, egotistical, spoilt brat who thinks just because he's got good looks and a rich daddy he can have any girl he wants" she spat, her voice dripping more venom than Clary had ever heard before in her life. "Go find yourself a naïve, blonde, bimbo, someone who'll be putty in your hands, because I for one, am not interested!" she shouted. "I'm sure Kaelie would be thrilled to go with you. She was, after all, higher than me in your books last I checked" she said, her voice suddenly sickly sweet, the same underlying tone of menace as plain as day.

She even paused to wave sarcastically at Kaelie over Sebastian's shoulder. The girl was currently glaring daggers at Isabelle, clutching her knife so hard her knuckles turned white. Isabelle just smiled.

"Come on, Izzy" Sebastian began, before he was interrupted by a voice from behind him.

"She said no, Sebastian" it was Alec, his dark blue eyes furious at the mere sight of the school's new heartthrob. His arms were crossed over his chest, his fists clenched. Behind him, his gold-green eyes narrowed bitterly, hair as spiky as ever was Magnus. He'd clearly stopped in to have lunch with them today.

Next to Alec was Jace who looked scarily calm as he glared across the small gap at Sebastian. Aline and Helen were also there, staring daggers at the boy who had no doubt ridiculed them at some point or another.

"Yeah, but that doesn't necessarily mean she meant it" he sneered, glancing back at Isabelle quickly, a dark hunger in his eyes as Isabelle rolled hers, clearly bored with this little 'routine' he was trying to pull.

"No mean's no" Someone said, it was only after everyone's eyes had turned to Clary that she realised she was the one who had spoken. Her face instantly reddened, much to Jace's amusement Clary noted as she saw him snicker.

"Who asked you Pipsqueak?" Sebastian said darkly, rounding on Clary like a bull in an arena. Clearly Clary was new target, a fresh face, someone he was yet to traumatise. "Why don't you go running back to England, back to your abusive guardian" he spat, his face inches from hers. Clary froze, how had he, of all people, known about Luke's issues, he didn't even know her name.

"Luke is not abusive" Clary said defiantly, trying to keep her voice from trembling. Luke had never laid a finger on Clary, well maybe once, but Clary had provoked him, that didn't make him abusive. He still loved her, but the courts merely said they couldn't risk her safety with his 'turns' as they called them. Maia was the same with them, happy one moment, the next, you'd barely recognise her.

"That's not what I heard" Sebastian continued "I heard the dog laid into you at every chance he got"

"Luke loves me" she retorted quickly, wincing slightly at how small and childlike her voice sounded. Sebastian smiled back menacingly, making Clary shy away slightly.

"Aw" he said patronisingly "Are you gunna cry?" he was pouting at Clary, his eyes laughing evilly as he spoke. "Go one, drop us a tear." He said mockingly before his voice changed dangerously. "You don't belong here, so why don't you just fuck off back to whatever shithole your dead parent's left you" he spat.

Clary snapped. She didn't know how it had happened, one moment she was looking timidly away from Sebastian as he spoke, the next he was clutching his cheek, an appalled expression distorting his otherwise beautiful features, and Clary's hand was stinging.

"You worthless slut!" Sebastian shouted and there was a ringing in Clary's ears as a throbbing pain spread across her jaw line and she was thrown backwards quite substantially, her head knocking the corner of a table as she fell.

Everything exploded. Clary watched terrified from her spot on the floor. Isabelle was on her feet, throwing herself towards Sebastian, kicking and clawing at the air shouting every manner of un-ladylike profanities at him as Helen held both her, and Aline back. Clearly having so many siblings prepared you for this sort of thing.

Magnus was holding onto Alec as he kicked and struggled in a way that was very out of character for him, but no one had reached Jace in time. He'd flung himself at Sebastian, knocking the boy to the floor, pinning him down as he threw punch after punch at the boys face.

Clary distinctly remembered hearing a crack and a splutter of blood before she was running. She ran down the halls, not caring that her bag had been left in the brawl, or that the tears were pouring down her face, she didn't even notice the pain in her jaw or the warm, tickling feel of liquid rolling down from her hairline, she just ran.

She had no idea where she was going, she could hardly remember why, but she was getting away. She didn't belong, she wasn't welcome, which was just made very clear.

Just as Clary was about to run across a road, a pair of strong arms wrapped around her torso, pulling her back just in time for a large moving lorry to thunder down the road, horn beeping angrily as it went.

"Clary" A familiar voice said in her ear, but she didn't care who it was, she wanted out. "Clary, please!" She kicked and screamed, her limbs flailing in every direction in an attempt to escape, but the persons grip only tightened.

After what felt like an hours worth of struggling, Clary finally calmed down, her screams turning to sobs, her flailing reducing to the racking shivers that converged on her small body. She looked down at the white ground through a veil of tears, the image rippling and distorting as the tears continued to fall.

It was freezing outside, the puddles frozen over; snow falling from the sky, and Clary was wearing jeans and a t-shirt. Her body felt cold, even if she didn't.

"Clary" the voice said again, softer this time. She felt numb her entire body, like she wasn't really there at all, like she wasn't in her own skin. She didn't protest as the strong arms turned her around, wrapping her up once again, only now so that her face lay against a strong chest, a wild heartbeat thumping by her ear.

Despite knowing she looked a state, Clary chanced a look at whomever it was who had grabbed her, only for her breath to snag in her throat, letting out a strange sort of squeaking sob. It was Jace. His hair was wild and sticking out in every direction, his lip was split and bloody, a bruise starting to blossom on his left cheekbone.

"Come on" he said, half dragging Clary in the direction of what Clary assumed to be the school. She didn't care though; just let herself be dragged like a doll. She heard a rushing sound in her ear, drowning out everything else, and didn't even find it strange when she was sat down in a car, Jace's car, as he clicked in her seat belt for her.

She said nothing for the journey, just gazed emptily out of the window, tears drying on her cheeks as Jace's car dodged through the lunchtime traffic. There were back at the Lightwood home before Clary could even bat an eyelid.

She felt numbly as Jace pulled her from the car, draping something heavy over her slim shoulders as they trudges through the thin dusting of snow on the driveway's chipping. It took her a while to realise it was his leather jacket, leaving him in just a plain white shirt, stretched gorgeously over his toned torso.

"Clary?" Jace said gently as he shut the door behind them. She looked up at him, her green eyes red and puffy from crying, the guilt that soared through her at the sight of Jace's face was enough to make her eyes water again. "Hey, hey" he said, gently wiping a tear from her face "You're okay now" he reassured her "You're home"

Despite her lack of faith in his final statement, she let him guide her gently by the shoulders into the kitchen, pulling the jacket around her more as she did so. The comfort and warmth it offered reminded her of her father's shirt upstairs, yet she knew, given the chance, she wouldn't trade the items in this lifetime.

He turned to look at her, an apologetic look to his eyes, right before he grabbed her around the waist, hoisting her to sit on the kitchen counter before he left the room, leaving her confused and disorientated, her feet no longer touching the floor as a surprised squeal slipped through her lips.

It was hard to stop the smile that slipped onto her face, she felt like a child who'd just fallen over and scraped their knee, any moment now Jace would come back with a dinosaur plaster and kiss her booboo better.

He was back a moment later carrying what Clary recognised as a first aid kit and a bag of frozen peas. He placed the bag of peas against her jaw, his eyes flickering to hers only for a second when he heard her hissing breath of pain. His other hand held hers for only a second, giving it a reassuring squeeze before he let go again.

"Can you hold that?" he asked, even though it seemed like more of a demand. She quickly swapped his hand for hers, holding the freezing pack against her still throbbing jaw. Out of the corner of her eyes she watched as Jace opened the first aid kit, expertly grabbing numerous white packages and placing them on the counter beside Clary.

Ripping open a small, white packet with his teeth, Jace proceeded to hold Clary's unruly ringlets away from her face, dabbing ever so gently at the gash she'd managed to receive on her forehead. Apparently she'd smacked her head on the table's edge when she fell, something that surely only she could manage. The wipe stung the wound as though it was salt, but Clary gritted her teeth through it, Jace had already seen her at rock bottom, she couldn't let him see anymore.

"On a scale of one to ten" Clary said meekly, ignoring how accentuated it made her accent when she was exhausted and upset, her eyes trying to avoid his "what's the damage?" she asked, not sure she wanted an answer.

"Well" Jace said with a slight laugh in his voice "You're going to have a cracking bruise on your jaw for a week, maybe two. Lucky for you Sebastian hits like a girl, the chair you tripped over caused more damage than he did, so that's not too serious. But this cut needs to be kept clean and covered" he said expertly, placing the now bloodied wipe next to Clary who blanched at the sight of it.

"You sure seem to know a lot about this sort of thing" she said quietly, more to herself than to him.

"What can I say" Jace said, a slight edge to his voice as he placed three strips of surgical tape over the cut, helping it to heal back over "I've had a lot of practice"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Clary asked, mentally slapping herself for being so nosy, but her injured head seemed to think it was a good idea at the time.

"Let's just say, you weren't the only one with a difficult childhood" he said, his eyes avoiding hers, his voice colder than Clary had expected, as he slowly wrapped a sterile white bandage around the now dressed wound.

"But I didn't have a difficult-" she began but a sudden wave of dizziness over came her, making her sway where she was sat, the bag of peas slipping from her grasp. She could feel herself falling forward, slipping off the counter, ready to impact with the floor. Luckily she was saved once again by a pair of strong arms.

He pulled her up gently so she stood awkwardly on her own two feet, her whole body sway despite his support.

"You know" she said, her voice sounding hazy and far away. "You're like my guardian angel, always protecting me" she said dreamily, and she felt as Jace chuckled slightly. "My beautiful guardian angel" she said, her eyes drooping closed.

"Right" Jace said, sweeping her feet from under her so he was carrying her, bridal-style. "You need rest" he said with a laugh, she smiled slightly at him, her eyes shut.

"Yes angel" she replied before snuggling into Jace's chest. With a content and slightly amused sigh, Jace carried her up the first flight of stairs, kicking her door open with a nudge of his foot.

He laid her down gently on her own bed, her head on the pillow before pulling to covers up to her chin. He retreated back to the door after he'd drawn the curtains closed and made sure she was comfortable and breathing. He stopped for a second, looking at the photo of the two British people on the bridge, so in love, so together. Without a second though, Jace swiped the picture frame, looking down onto the two, smiling faces.

He thought over what she'd said earlier, how she'd called him her guardian angel.

"I guess I am" he said to himself with a laugh, holding the picture close as he reached up to the light switch. "Clary, I will protect you with my life" and with that, he turned off the light and walked away down the hall to the kitchen to clean up any blood or first aid equipment, not noticing how the little red head drew his jacket closer to herself, smiling sweetly in her sleep, saying two little words.

My Angel.

"Isabelle, she's going to be fine" it was Aline, sat comfortably on the sofa next to Alec, her dark hair falling smoothly to below her chin, the sleeve of her baby red jumper falling just over her hands.

"You don't know that" Isabelle grumbled from her spot in the plush arm chair where she was nibbling anxiously at the nail on her thumb. "Did you see the way she ran out of there, she wasn't upset, she was terrified" she said, trying to make the others see what she saw.

Magnus was sat on the arm of the sofa, his arms wrapped around Alec's shoulders as Alec moped sulkily. It was probably because Magnus hadn't let him at Sebastian, but Isabelle could see the worry and concern in his downcast eyes.

"Magnus" Aline said kindly "Couldn't you-" but Magnus cut her off with a dismissive wave of his glittery, much ringed hand.

"I haven't even started medical school yet, Aline dear" he said bluntly with a twinge of apologetic kindness. "I wouldn't know any more of what was wrong with her than Jace knows now" he explained, casting Isabelle a sad smile. She sighed.

Jace had gone after Clary, tearing through the cafeteria doors as soon as one of Sebastian's lackeys had pull him off, after that he disappeared, sending Alec only a brief text. _I'm taking her home. _

After that, every one – besides Helen who had to collect her brothers and sisters after school- had piled into Magnus's surprisingly spacious car, skipping last lesson to make sure Clary was okay. By the time they'd made it up the driveway, they'd found Jace in the kitchen, his white shirt splattered with blood, his bloody lip dried as he wiped down the surfaces, dropping bits of bandage and bloody wipe into the bin.

That was a bout two hours ago. Helen had promised to take Max home with her tonight, saying he could stay the night with Julian and she'd take him to school in the morning with her. Everyone was extremely grateful for that, but everything felt a little bit darker without Helen's maternal presence in the room with them.

She mothered the entire group, scolding them if they went too far with jokes or debates, being the overall voice of reason. She even looked after those who were sick at parties, cleaning up innumerable splatters of vomit from the kitchen, bathroom or bedrooms.

Aline was a sort of events manager, organising days out and making sure everyone had a good time, Magnus had no objections to helping her out on occasion. Alec was the serious one; the one who never missed a homework deadline and tried to make sure the others didn't, Isabelle was the matchmaker, the one who never failed to find a guy to sleep with while making sure all her friends' relations ships were going strong and Jace was the brooding teenager, throwing in the occasional sarcastic remark when he was in the mood.

Ever since he'd been kicked off the football team he's been like this, more reserved a lot less out spoken. Sure he still picked up girls with blissful ease, but recently he didn't seem to want to. Jace used to be the alpha at the school, he was the teams quarterback, and he was a beautiful heartthrob, the life and soul of the party. All of that however had been ripped away from him when he refused to turn his back on Alec.

When Alec came out, everyone exploded, some people were thrilled, glad he was being honest with himself, others were disgusted, they wanted to make him as excluded from the mix as they could make him, Sebastian had been the main suspect to this.

When Alec was kicked from the team Jace protested strongly, shouting and cursing Sebastian for being a bastard. So Sebastian gave him a choice, turn his back on him and stay as the school's star, or leave the team and never come back.

Jace chose family. It was only a few days later when Kaelie had given Isabelle the same choice about the _Alicante Fairies,_ their schools cheer squad. Isabelle left in the blink of an eye, rewarding Kaelie with a strong slap on her way out, something the bimbo still hadn't forgotten.

"She's awake" a voice said from the doorway.

* * *

The next few hours for Clary was a mass of people diving into her room, grabbing her hand, pulling her into hugs, asking her if she was okay. However much she said she hated all the attention, she loved the reassurance that people cared for her, that they wanted her there, that she really did belong.

Her splendour however was sort lived, Saturday came along and with it came excited squeals from Isabelle at half eight in the morning, right when Clary was hoping to sleep in.

"Wakey wakey!" she chimed, prancing around the room in her heels boots, throwing open the curtains, momentarily blinding Clary. "Aline's picking us up in an hour" she said, ripping Clary's covers off of her and onto the floor, leaving her feel rather exposed to the cold air in her black pyjama trousers and white vest. "Come on!" she presses, throwing what Clary assumed to be clothes at her "Get up, get dressed, and let's go!"

"For crying out loud, Izzy" Clary grumbled, sitting up, however reluctantly, and attempting to run her hand through her hair. "Why so early?" she asked, her voice sounding slightly husky from sleep. She looked at Izzy then who was currently poring through her wardrobe and drawers, throwing anything that looked remotely acceptable. She of course looked stunning while she was doing it.

Despite the snowy weather that Clary could see through her window, Isabelle was wearing a short black skater dress beneath a black military coat that tied around the waist and fell further down her legs than her coat did and her ever present black heeled boots. Her hair was down, swishing around her shoulders with every item of clothing she threw at Clary and her face wearing very little, but some, dark eye makeup, her ruby pendant hanging from her throat.

"Shower, get dressed, see you at breakfast" Isabelle demanded, throwing a pair of jeans that hit Clary in the head. With a sigh, Clary grabbed a pillow, screamed in frustration into it, and then disappeared to have a shower, peeling the bandage off her head as she did so.

She emerged fifteen minutes later with her hair feeling less of a tangled mess and her bruised jaw reduced to a dull ache. Not wanting to chance a look in the mirror, Clary grabbed the first pair of jeans she saw, a plain vest and a large, baggy jumper. Pulling the clothing on she grabbed her black converse and tugged them on too, quickly wrapping her still dripping hair into a messy bun as she disappeared down to breakfast with Isabelle.

She was slightly surprised to fine that Isabelle wasn't sat at the KitchenIsland alone, like she usually was; instead she was talking to Jace in hushed voice, neither one noticing when Clary trudged into the room.

"What's going on?" she asked, plopping into the nearest stool and wrapping her hands around the already made cup of black coffee sat before her, revelling in the bitter scent and the scolding heat pouring through her hands.

Isabelle jumped slightly at the voice but Jace remained stoic, smirking slightly at Clary over the rim of his own mug. She narrowed her eyes at him quickly before returning to Isabelle.

"Mum's not coming back this weekend" Isabelle said grimly "The weathers too risky for her to travel long distance" she said and Clary nodded, taking a long, scalding gulp of her drink, feeling the buzz of caffeine immediately as it hit her bloodstream. "And we should probably put something on that" Isabelle said, pointing a ringed finger towards Clary's jaw, making Clary wince inwardly at the memory.

"That's quite a corker you've got there" Jace said, snickering into his mug, Isabelle shot him a pointed look, which he ignored.

"Shut up" Clary grumbled, forgetting his sad eyes as he bandaged her head two days ago, remembering instead the jackass he was the rest of the time.

"Hey, that's no way to talk to your guardian angel" Jace said with his arrogant smirk back on his face, even Isabelle sniggered at that one, popping a strawberry into her mouth with her red painted fingers.

"Piss off" Clary spat back half heartedly, making Jace laugh. "Where's Max?" she asked instead, changing the topic quickly.

"He stayed with Helen again last night" she said, more than willing to change the subject "Turns out he and Julian get along like a house on fire. Helen's dropping him off with Aline when she gets us" Clary nodded again, right before she felt someone grab her wrist. "We're going to fix your face" Isabelle stated, dragging her away from her beautiful coffee and up the stairs. Glancing back she saw Jace laughing to himself, clearing away her mug and Isabelle's bowl. It occurred to her then that Isabelle refused to ever make a cup of cffee, and she'd been upstairs with Clary, that left only one person who could of made the drink that was practically liquid perfection.

Maybe he wasn't a total jackass after all.


	6. Chapter 6

**Woo! Two updates! **

**they might start only coming one at a time now since I'm running out of pre-written stuff, but I'll try to keep updating regularly, even with school back next week...**

**Please review and thank you to all those who have already!**

* * *

Clary wrapped her scarf around her neck as she sat on the porch benches with Isabelle, trying futilely to warm up her frozen hands. Maybe she should buy some gloves while she was out today, but then again, she didn't haven much money, being as close to an orphan as she was didn't really pay to well, and the thought of asking the Lightwoods for money, no chance. Clary would just have to find herself a job, and soon.

"So, what's the deal with you and Jace" Isabelle said innocently, wiping a snowflake off her shoulder as it fell. Clary sputtered suddenly, she was sure if she was drinking she would have spat it out.

"Excuse me?" Clary replied, her accent accentuated by the disbelief in her voice.

"Come on, you're totally into him" she said smirking, "I've seen the way you look at him" she said with a cheeky smirk.

"I don't look at him" Clary retorted, wincing at how childish that sounded. "I mean, what about how he looks at me" she snapped back, not quite sure what she meant but not wanting to talk about this subject for longer than she had to.

"That's how Jace looks at any girl" Isabelle said with a laugh "Some guys look at you like they want sex, like Sebastian for example" Isabelle said and Clary shuddered "But Jace, Jace looks at you like you've had sex, it was great, and now you're just friends" she said with what Clary thought was a proud smile. "Its how he gets so many girls" she finished.

"I've not seen Jace with any girls" Clary thought aloud, watching as Isabelle's face softened.

"That because he doesn't want you to see him with girls" Isabelle said obviously, a patronising twinge to her voice, her dark eyes glistening with mischief as she smiled at Clary.

"What do you-" Clary began but was cut off by the sound of tyres on the gravel. From the end of the driveway, Clary could see Aline's shiny red car as she pulled up in front of the porch. Helen, who was in the passengers seat, jumped out quickly, opening the passenger door and grabbing a child's rucksack. Following her as she walked up the drive way was Max, in all his gangly glory, his pale face pinched red from the cold, a hat covering his messy hair and a coat that made him grow a few inches outwards done up tightly to his throat.

"Hey Izzy!" he exclaimed, jumping into Isabelle's open arms.

"Hey, Maxie" she replied, kissing his forehead. He made a face of faux disgust and wiped his face with a gloved hand furiously.

"Where's Jace?" he asked eagerly "I want to tell him all about Julian's game!" he said with an excited smile.

"In the kitchen" Isabelle said with a soft smile, taking Max's bag from Helens hands. "I hope he was okay" Isabelle said to Helen once Max was gone, hanging his bag on the hook inside the door before letting it slam shut.

"He's been a joy" Helen said proudly. "He and Dru get along better than he and Julian did" she said with a laugh, one Isabelle joined in with. Helen looked lovely, her pale face bare of makeup and her white-blonde hair falling around her shoulders in its natural waves. She was wearing a long sleeves yellow and white striped shirt and blue jeans, a white scarf wrapped around her neck. A loud honk of the horn knocked the others from their conversations, Helen shot Aline an irritated look, but it didn't reach her eyes and then turned back to the others. "I hope you don't mind" she began "But I had to bring Octavian with us" she said with an apologetic look.

"Why's that?" Isabelle asked. Clary knew Octavian was the youngest of all of Helen's siblings, a little boy who still went to kindergarten.

"Well Arthurs taken the others out for the day" she said shyly "And there wasn't room in the car with the others" Clary nodded, understanding how hard it must be to fit all the Blackthorn children into one car, there was eight of them including Emma after all. "And Mark already opted out to go to town with his friends, but there still wasn't enough room, and I couldn't leave him with baby sitter, he's not good with strangers unless one of us is there" She said wringing her wrist.

Clary remembered then how much Helen was a mother to all those children, not just in the way she cared for them, but also because of how they all went to her when they needed something, permission, comfort, someone to talk to, it was always Helen. Helen's Uncle, Arthur had to work a lot to be able to provide for so many children, meaning he was away during the week and stayed with the kids at the weekend while Helen worked at a small diner in the city. It wasn't easy for them, Clary knew, but Helen managed it all brilliantly.

"So, shall we?" she said, gesturing the others towards the car. Isabelle smiled and glided down the steps, jumping in the back seat of the silver car, Helen followed, smiling at Clary before getting in the car herself. Clary walked slowly down the steps, so as to avoid slipping, before turning back to the large house she called home. Her green eye's instantly met the gold of Jace and she fought to keep the blush down, jumping in the car to sit behind Aline, who was driving, her thoughts on what Isabelle had said about Jace_. He doesn't want you to see him with girls. _

"Tavvy" Helen's sweet, maternal voice rang through the car, snapping Clary from her thoughts "This is Isabelle and Clary" she said, talking to the little, three year old boy who sat snugly in the car seat between Isabelle and Clary "They're coming with us today" she said.

The little boy looked just like Julian did, with soft, messy brown hair sticking out from beneath his blue bobble hat and green-blue eyes like the sea. He was wrapped up snugly in a blue scarf, and a green coat, his pudgy little face smiling an adorably toothy smile at Helen before Aline backed out of the driveway and drove off into the city.

"What about this one?" Isabelle said, emerging from the second changing room of the third shop they'd been in, sporting her fourth dress. Clary looked up at Isabelle who was a wearing a knee length white dress that fanned out around her waist into soft, modest skirts. It was strapless, with a sweetheart neckline to shove off Isabelle's impressive cleavage, the length showed off her mile long legs and the black belt that tied into a bow at the back showed off her curves perfectly. Overall, Clary thought this dress was beautiful, but of course she'd said that about all the others as well, so Isabelle wasn't convinced.

"It's perfect, Isabelle" Helen said with a smile, holding little Octavian on her lap as he grabbed onto bits of her hair, tugging on it gently. Clary nodded, agreeing with what Helen had said.

"It is, isn't it" Isabelle said with a proud smile, before turning around and dashing back into the changing room. Aline came out next, her face slightly shy.

"How do I look?" she asked, forcing her voice to be loud.

"Beautiful" Helen breathed out, staring wide eyed at Aline. Clary couldn't blame her, Aline did look beautiful.

Her normal attire of baggy jumpers and skinny jeans had been replaced instead by a long, red dress made of such light material that it seemed to float whenever Aline moved. It had thin red straps that went over Aline's pale shoulders, crossing over at the back. There was a slit up the left side that reached Aline's mid thigh, the bright fabric making her pale skin glow. she looked like one of the supermodels from a _James Bond_ film, with her slim frame and elegant hair, but Clary always admired them when she was little.

"I'm not joking, Aline" Helen said, standing up and bringing little Tavvy with her, the little boy sitting contently on her hip "You look beautiful" Aline gave her a sweet smile before Helen pressed her lips against hers for the briefest of kisses. "You really do" Smiling shyly, Aline walked back into the changing room, Helen staring lovingly after her.

"You're turn, Helen" Clary said with a smile. Helen rolled her eyes, as Clary pointed happily at the bag at her feet. Clary had been lucky enough to find her dress in the first shop they entered and much to Clary's disbelief, Isabelle had approved.

"Fine" she said reluctantly "But you have to hold Tavvy" she said, retracting the little boys chubby hands from her hair before passing the toddler to Clary, where he then proceeded to grab Clary's hair. "He likes curly hair" she said apologetically, smiling at Clary who had the curliest hair Octavian must ever have seen.

"You don't say" she said, her head moving to the direction the little boy pulled it. After another smile, Helen disappeared into the shop in search of her own dress. Isabelle emerged a few moments later, her dress slung over her arm before she landed elegantly in the seat beside Clary.

"Who are you even going with?" Clary asked Isabelle eyeing the beautiful girl next to her suspiciously.

"I'm not" she said chirpily, making Clary raise an eyebrow at her.

"You're not going?" she questioned, watching as Isabelle flicked her raven hair over her shoulder.

"I'm not going with someone" she elaborated. "I'm going alone, I always do" she said casually.

"Why?" Clary pressed curiously.

"Because" Isabelle said, sighing dramatically "Any boy that asks me out does it because they want to get into my pants or to be that 'lucky guy' who got to go to a dance with Isabelle Lightwood" she said bitterly. "I don't want to go to a dance with some boy just so he can think he owns me for one night"

"I guess" Clary said thoughtfully.

"We know who you're going with though, don't we?" Isabelle said mockingly, watching as Clary's face flared with a blush bright enough to rival her hair.

"I'm not going with Jace" she said stubbornly.

"Clary's going to the dance with Jace?" Aline said, clearly finished in her dressing room, she too had her dress slung over her arm.

"I'm not going with J-" she began but was cut off.

"What's going on?" it was Helen, back with a blue dress over her arm and looking from person to person expectantly.

"Clary's going to the dance with Jace" Aline said, apparently filling Helen in on big news. Helen nodded and smiled at Clary.

"I knew he'd ask you eventually" she said and disappeared into one of the changing rooms, leaving a dumbfounded Clary and a giggling Aline and Isabelle behind.

"Jace doesn't want to ask me!" Clary exclaimed, receiving a strong tug from Tavvy who looked at her innocently with his big, blue-green eyes. They lapsed into silence then, but not before Clary heard Isabelle whisper under her breath.

"You keep telling yourself that."

* * *

"The girls are back!" Someone shouted from the doorway, Jace assumed it was Alec; Max's voice wasn't that deep. He didn't move though, just stayed lying on his bed; eye's staring at the ceiling as the snow fell down past the outside window.

He heard the familiar chit-chat that accompanied girls everywhere and assumed Clary and Isabelle weren't alone. A few moments later he heard the unmistakeable sound of heels on marble, and then on wood, and then muffled by carpet. Jace slowly counted down from five until he door was wrenched open.

"Why don't you just ask her already?" Isabelle shouted, storming into the room, jabbing Jace in the stomach. "The dance is next week!"

"God damn, Isabelle!" he shrieked irritated, sitting up so fast it made his vision turn black for a second. When was this girl going to give in. Shaking his head, he turned to look at her. She had her hands on her hips, scowling down at him inside the curtain of her thick hair. "Besides, who says I want to ask her" he asked, his voice half heartedly insulted.

He felt the pillow hit him in the face before he even saw Isabelle even move

"You do, I know you do" she said frustrated.

"I've only known her two weeks" he said defensively.

"You've slept with girls you've known for less time than that" Isabelle retorted snappily.

"You're one to talk" Jace mumbled, only to be hit in the head again, only this time with a book. "Damn it, Isabelle!" he said rubbing the soon to be bump where the book s corner had hit him.

"Ask her, I know you want to and I know she wants you to" she said, looking a few more moments of frustration away from stamping her feet at him in protest. He sighed inwardly, running his hands through his golden hair, making it stick out at odd angels.

"Who else is here?" he asked drably.

"Don't change the subject, Herondale" she said, pointing a red finger nail at his face, her stern expression planted very firmly on her face. "Go and ask her, be a man!"

"I don't want to be a man" He said "I want to be an angst-ridden teenager who cant confront his own inner demons and takes it out verbally on other people instead" he exclaimed, throwing himself back down on the bed, his body bouncing slightly from the springs.

Isabelle blew a loud breath through her nose, Jace was sure smoke came out, making her look like an angry bull.

"You're going to ask her and you're going to do it very soon!"

"I know, I'm going to" he said quietly, hoping she didn't hear him "I just need to get her alone"

"Well that's easy" Isabelle said with a smirk, her black eyes twinkling in the slowly fading night. Jace wasn't sure what it was Isabelle meant, but he was pretty sure he was going to find out.

* * *

Work for Helen was usually a dull affair, but on a Saturday night it was nothing short of chaos. For some reason, from the times of four until gone midnight, everyone decided to come into the diner, all wanting enough food to kill a large horse.

Helen walked straight to the back room when she got a Taki's, throwing her bag onto the staff's sofa before slipping her work blouse over her vest and tying her apron around her waist.

"Now you two" she said as she tied her icy blonde curls into a high ponytail "I need you to behave while I'm working. Mark's going to stop by when he's finished with his band and take you home, okay?" she said, addressing the little girl and boy sat on the sofa.

Helen's Uncle Arthur still hadn't come back from whatever he was doing with the others, but Helen had been called out to pick Drusilla up about three hours ago after she'd fallen over and scraped her knee. Apparently no matter what Arthur did, Dru had kicked and screamed, shouting for Helen to come and get her. So she had and since there was no one responsible at home for another hour, Helen had been forced to take both Drusilla and Octavian to work with her.

"I see you're here nice and early Helen" turning to the doorway, Helen saw the boss and chef of Taki's, Mr Starkweather readjusting his own apron with a kind smile.

"Hi Hodge" she said "I'm so sorry, but there isn't anyone at home, I hope you don't mind" she said apologetically.

"Not at all" he said happily. Hodge loved all the of the Blackthorn children, especially the younger ones, and never failed to give them a free milkshake if he wasn't too busy. Hodge Starkweather was a strange man, with a timeless face, he had no wrinkles but his hair was a dark grey colour, his eyes bright and wise behind his squared glasses. He didn't get out much, wasn't a fan of the outdoors, but he absolutely adored children. "Nice to see you Dru he said, smiling at the little girl who smiled back "And you Tavvy. I'll check on them for you every hour" he said brightly, turning back to Helen.

"It's no worry" Helen said "I can check on them" Hodge's face suddenly turned grim as he looked at her, almost apologetic.

"The things is, you'll rather have your hands full" he said plainly "I need you to train our new waitress since Maia left" Helen tried not to smile at the memory of Maia shouting abuse at policemen in their school cafeteria as she listened to Hodge. "She's a bit of a handful to be honest, but I owe it to her father-"

"Hodge" Helen said with a kind smile, he looked at her suddenly, a shocked expression on his face "You're rambling"

"I'm sorry, love" he said laughing quietly at himself. "She should be here any minute, just show her the basics today." Hodge said, turning towards the door.

"Who is it, Hodge?" she asked cautiously, slightly concerned what the answer would be. Hodge was saved the pain of answer when a voice from behind him spoke up.

"Afternoon Lezbo" said an annoying nasal voice.

"Of course it's you" Helen hissed through gritted teeth.

"Great, you know each other!" Hodge exclaimed, looking extremely apologetic towards Helen who glared back at him. "I'll let you get started, have fun!" and with that he left.

"Didn't know you worked here" Kaelie said, chewing what Helen thought was an overly large piece of pink bubblegum "Have to raise money to keep the brats in the shelter do you?" she said, laughing heartily at her own joke.

"Listen you-"

"Helen" said a little voice, one that reminded Helen who else was in the room. Fixing her face into a mask of motherly concern, she turned to the voices owner.

"Yes, Dru" she said kindly, looking into the big blue-green eyes of the eight year old girl.

"Can I have a drink?" she asked timidly, clearly shy around the other, obviously hostile, occupant of the room.

"Of course, sweetie" Helen said "It's in my bag" and she pointed towards the green canvas bag in the corner containing three things, a bottle of juice for both Drusilla and Octavian, and a black purse with very little in it. "I'm going to work now, but you can watch tele until Mark arrives" she said handing Drusilla the remote. "Come on, Kaelie" she said with a sickly sweet voice, guiding the bleached blonde, almost yellow, haired girl out of the diner and towards the counter.

"I see the boss lets you keep the brats in the back room, probably comfier than whatever dump you call a home" she said, laughing once again at herself.

"What are you even doing here, Kaelie?" Helen asked, still sickly sweet "Did daddy cut off your credit card again?" she said innocently, her big eyes sparking with annoyance.

"At least my daddy's still around" she hissed out through her painted pink lips, her heavily made up eyes filled with a petty hate that made Helen want to laugh.

"If I'm going to be stuck with you, you're going to listen, or Hodge is going to kick your fake ass back to the curb for daddy to scrape back up again" Helen hissed, turning on her heel and walking towards a new customer, menu in hand, leaving an angry looking Kaelie not knowing what to do.

Helen was a very tolerant girl, having to live with six children did that to a person, but today was not a day that Helen was going to put up with Kaelie's petty insults, she was far better than to stoop to her level. She continued her work, her head held high and a friendly smile plastered on her face, planning to avoid Kaelie at any cost.

* * *

Two o'clock, that's how late it was when, Aline and Isabelle, finally let Clary return to bed. They'd gotten some drinks out after Helen had left and had been drinking ever since. Now finally, with an amused Alec carrying Isabelle back to her room and Aline stumbling after her, giggling and tripping like a maniac, Clary was released.

She was just crossing the hall to her own room, when a strange, tinkling sound reached her ears. A soft sound, something that reminded her strongly of her London home, of her father, sat casually at his piano, playing songs for her, her brother and for her mother too. It was a tradition of sorts, to listen to her father play, beautiful classical music, then something darker, then something so bouncy it made her smile.

She debated returning to her room, to sleep and pretend the sound never existed, but curiosity won over her, who could possibly be creating such beautiful music.

The sound led her up a flight of stairs and along a corridor, to a large wooden door she couldn't remember ever seeing before. It was tall, like every other door in this house, reaching up to the ceiling and made of dark, strong wood.

Delicately, so as not to disturb the musician within, Clary pushed the door open, wincing slightly as it creaked on it's hinges. As her eyes adjusted to the slightly dimmer light, Clary caught sight of the beautiful, black grand piano sat in the centre of the room, emitting soft, beautiful notes every few seconds. It was a minute later until she saw the golden curls of the boy sat at the bench, his fingers running swiftly across the keys.

Horrified that he might think she was spying on him, Clary moved to shut the door as quietly as she could, leaving him to his music. But Clary being Clary, the toe of her shoe caught the edge of the expensive rug, and she felt herself falling almost immediately, swearing in a very un-ladylike fashion as her body fell to the ground. The impact was immediate, joined by a throbbing pain in her shoulder as she rolled onto her back, wincing at the winded feeling in her stomach.

She lay still for a moment, eye's clasped shut, praying he hadn't noticed. Sadly her praying was short lived, as a certain golden boy opened the door to the music room, looking down at her with a poorly masked look of amusement on his beautiful features.

"Eave's dropping are we?" he asked cockily, making Clary swear silently to her self. She peeked up at him from the floor, watching as he leant his body against the tall doorframe, making her feel even smaller than she had before.

"I was just listening" she said, sitting up slightly, her hair falling over her face that was blushing a colour very close to it. "You play like you've lost your only love" she said musingly, thinking to how the notes had made her feel warm, yet distant, a feeling she was so familiar with, feeling lost.

"Well unfortunately my one true love remains myself" he said proudly, smirking down at her to reveal his almost perfect teeth, perfect apart from slight chip in one of them.

"At least you don't have to worry about rejection" Clary snapped back, surprised by her own wit as she looked up at him, a challenging flare in her big green eyes.

"Not necessarily" he said, reaching a hand down towards her, she took it warily, letting herself be pulled up to her feet. Once again, she over balanced, falling forwards slightly, only this time, Jace was there to catch her before she face planted into his chest. "I turn myself down occasionally, just to keep it interesting" he added with another smirk, his golden eyes looking deep into hers. It was then she realised, with the thump of his heart against her chest, how close the two of them were.

She jumped away quickly, almost falling again, but Jace held onto her hand, his golden skin a stark contrast to her own.

"You do play beautifully though" Clary said shyly, feeling as her face heating up, the hairs on her arms prickling slightly. Jace didn't respond, just nodded slowly, his eyes staring into hers so strongly they were making her dizzy, making it hard to look away, but she managed. "Did you take lessons?" she asked, feeling scrutinised under his gaze.

"My father taught me" he said, not sadly, but not very lively either. "Back when we were living in Europe"

"You lived in Europe?" Clary gaped. How had she never known this, she'd been here over two weeks now, yet she seemed to know nothing about anyone here, despite the amount of time she spent with them all.

"I was born there, I lived there with my parents until I was about ten" he said, only this time with slightly more emotion, like he was upset but didn't remember why.

"Was it nice?" she asked, but received a blank look in return "Where you grew up, was it nice?" she added, trying to shyly avoid his eye, scared as to what she might have uncovered there.

"It was beautiful" he said, his voice far away but his eyes never leaving hers. "It truly was"

"Tell me about it" Clary said, sitting down with her back against the wall. With a smile at the little red head, Jace joined her.

"Like I said, it was beautiful" he said, gazing at the opposite wall "We lived in the country, in a manor of sorts, not as big as this house, but not much smaller. I had my own room, over looking the forest behind our house, where the pond was." he was smiling, and Clary couldn't help smiling too, remembering her old home, it wasn't in the country, and it wasn't a big house, but she felt connected to Jace then, to long for something so far away, something lost.

"What were your parents like?" she asked tentatively, watching his face, making sure she hadn't over stepped the mark with him, but he didn't seem phased.

"My mother, Celine, she was French." He said with a smile "She'd wake me up in the morning, make my breakfast for me and then she'd give me my first lesson"

"Wait a second!" Clary suddenly butted in "You were home schooled?" she asked, gaping at him.

"Well, yeah, I was" he said, looking at her for the first time the glaze leaving his eyes as he looked at her. "I thought you knew that?" he asked, his eyes narrowing adorably.

"No, I don't know anything about you, you've barely spoken to me" she said awkwardly, fingering the ripped sleeve of her jumper.

"Well" he said, shifting so that he could look at her properly, and she unconsciously felt herself moving around too, not seeing anything but those beautiful golden eyes, filled with something Clary had never seen before when people looked at her, was it desire? She felt as his hand reached towards her cheek, brushing slightly across the bruise on her jaw, but she didn't wince, his touch was too soft, too delicate to cause any real pain. Instead it made goose bumps rise on her skin, trails of flames licking at her jaw and cheek as he cupped it gently. "I'm willing to change that" his eyes were flickering to her lips ever so slightly, his surprising thick lashes shadowing his golden cheek bones, the ones that made Clary itch for her sketchpad.

Her eyes flicked down to his lips, how inviting they looked to her, but she'd barely known him two weeks, and even then they hadn't had the nicest encounters. But then the other moments came back, him punching Sebastian for hitting her, him running after her and wrapping his arms around her, letting her cry into his chest, him patching her up like she was a child. Every logical thought left her mind, she felt her eyes closing, her head tilting up slightly, ready to meet his and then –

A sound ripped the air and Clary felt herself jumping back, hitting her head on the wall.

"Shit" she muttered, rubbing her head with her hand "Sorry" she said, looking at Jace, not entirely sure what she was apologising for. She thought he looked disappointed, but it was only a second before his notorious smirk was back on his face. "What's that noise?" she asked slightly panicked, her head feeling light and disorientated from her almost-kiss with Jace.

"I believe" he said, looking at the pocket of her jeans "It's your phone" Clary cocked her head slightly for a moment, but then she felt the buzzing in her pocket and scrambled madly to grab it.

"I'm so sorry" she said, as she flipped it open, not bothering to check the caller ID, a mistake she'd never make again.

"Hello" she said, watching Jace from the corner of her eye. Whenever they got close to anything, her phone rang; it was a cycle she wasn't sure she enjoyed.

"Clary?" the voice said from the other side. Clary froze, her eyes staring blankly at Jace, her eyes wide as her stomach lurched. "Hello? Clary, are you there?" it said again, slightly more panicked this time.

"Yeah, I'm- I'm here" she said, half dazed, Jace was giving her a questioning glance, but she couldn't keep his gaze, it was almost like it burnt her now.

"I'm sorry I haven't called sooner but-"

"Simon, is that really you?" she asked disbelievingly. "As in, really you?" she pressed. He was silent on the other end of the phone, but she could hear the heavy breathing she was so used to hearing.

"Yeah" he said quietly "It's me" that was enough for Clary, she exploded.

"Where the hell have you been? I move to another country with no friends, a new family and absolutely no idea what I'm doing with myself, and I hope, I pray for crying out loud, that I'll still have my best friend to talk to, someone who knows everything about me, someone who understands everything I've been through and someone who isn't going to abandon me at the first hurdle!"

She took a breath and briefly saw Jace staring up at her from the floor, wide eyed. Apparently she'd stood up mid-rant without realising, and now she was on a full blown rampage.

"Heaven forbid you should call me at all! Not to check in, not to make sure I was settling in okay, oh no! I've spent my last two weeks with people who I barely know and they've been more of a friend to me than you have and I've known you practically my whole life and for fuck sakes Simon, say something!" she half shouted down the phone. Jace looked at her smugly, a smirk gracing his features, damn the girl could shout.

"I'm sorry Clary-" he began

"You're sorry?" she cut him off "You're sorry? Oh, well that makes everything okay then!" she shouted, glaring at Jace when he laughed at her. She knew her accent was the most prominent he'd ever heard it, but with all the longing she'd been feeling for the past two weeks venting through her like hot air out of a balloon, she couldn't find it in her to care.

"How could you do that to me Simon? To me! Of all people! Jonathon I can understand, he's busy making his way in the world, but you? You've always been there for me, every time. You were there when I fell down the stairs and my mum was out, you were there when I fell out of that tree and into the pond-" Jace was now withholding hysterical laughter at the stories she was saying, all including her falling somewhere "You were even there when I found out my parents had died!"

She stopped then and Jace finally saw her face. Tears were streaking down her cheeks, falling down onto her neck. His fingers itched to wipe them away, but he knew it wasn't the time or the place. Sighing sadly, Clary sat back down, her head hitting the wall in a way Jace knew to be deliberate.

"Simon" she said after a long silence. "I'm not really in the mood to talk right now, it's late here and I'm very tired, so, can we finish this another time?" tears were falling even faster now, dropping down her cheeks, fat drops splashing onto her chest as she didn't bother to wipe them away.

Simon didn't say anything else after that, not a sound came from his side of the phone. Clary didn't even wait to see if he would reply, just let her phone close and her hand drop. It was then she really broke down. Her head dropped into her hands as her body shook violently, like she was shivering.

It took Jace a moment of deliberation until he finally moved and sat next to her, gently putting his arm around her slim shoulders. It was strange, Jace thought, he'd put his arms around girls before, but never like this, never with the intention of comfort. It was strange, damn right bizarre actually, but Jace liked it. He revelled in the feel of her head on his chest, her slim hands gripping onto his shirt, pulling him closer to her.

His mind flashed involuntarily to the photo in his drawer, the one of Clary's friends, Tessa and Jem. Of how in love they were, how much they seemed to need one another close. He'd always wondered if anyone would look at him like the way Tessa looked at her fiancé. He shook his thoughts, thinking instead of the here and now.

It was like this, her head on his chest, her sobs echoing throughout the hallway that Jace realised just how broken this girl was, this small, fragile little girl. And it was like this that he decided to mend her, to put her back together, to make her whole again, no matter what it took.


End file.
